Known for his adeptness of decision making and cerebral style as a versatile 6-foot-10 forward, Manhattan native and Class of 2025 forward Jack Bailey's on-court performance mirrors that of his performance in the classroom. A high academic recruit at Blair Academy (NJ), the pick and pop four-man is hearing from the likes of Harvard, Stanford, Notre Dame, Boston College, and a number of highly prominent academic and athletic programs. While Bailey has recently taken multiple unofficial visits, he is slated for an official visit to Butler University in Indiana this ensuing week. Bailey has gathered recent interest from Cal and Indiana.
Known for his deft shooting touch and playmaking, Bailey upped his high major stock with the Riverside Hawks this past summer. He heard from an array of programs at the start of the contact period.
The attention hasn't tailed off. Bailey is currently being recruited by Iowa and Penn State as well. The veteran, proven junior has established himself as a central figure of a talented Blair team. This team features Bucknell-commit Jayden Williams, heavily recruited Class of 2026 guard Deron Rippey, and several others anticipated for meaningful roles this season. This year's team has considerable New York City representation, with Williams being from the Bronx and Bailey hailing from Manhattan and Rippey from Brooklyn.
Riverside coach Karriem Memminger was quick to cite Bailey's game between the ears as arguably the most appealing attribute of his hardwood trade. That headiness, coupled with his innate ability to employ multiple positions are aspects which make Bailey such a unique mismatch threat. In today's college basketball environment, with major emphasis placed on versatility and interchangeability, forwards with a consistent shot-making presence are highly sought after commodities.
Bailey has a guard skill set and a polished game, with the rare ability to impact nearly every connotation of the stat sheet. "He's very skilled and has a high basketball IQ, a really great feel for the game," Memminger said. "He just knows how to play, and he plays the right way. He's able to shoot the three, he has a mid-range game, and he's a great facilitator. He can put the ball on the deck, bring the ball out, and make good reads. He's got huge upside." Butler has been hot on Bailey's trail for the duration. They took in a practice at Blair last month and have kept tabs on his production rate since the summer. They are coming off a rather forgettable year, registering an overall record of 14-18 while mustering a meager 6-14 record in Big East play.
The true unique draw of Bailey's game is that his multi-dimensional skill set doesn't impact his post play. He's an active ingredient on the glass as a consistent rebounding presence. Bailey knows how to defend the rim as a shot-blocking, shot influencing threat. He will need physicality and apply the hard hat and high motor for the Big East, which is both historically and currently one of the nation's most rough and tumble conferences.
