Rutgers Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Scarlet Knights

Projected Starters

Guard – Jamichael Davis (Sophomore)

Jamichael Davis is one o the few familiar faces back at Rutgers from last season. He started roughly half of the games for the Scarlet Knights last year, averaging 5.6 points per game. But he showed plenty of promise on defense, ranking sixth in the conference in defensive rating and ninth in steal percentage. Pikiell will look to Davis to stop some of the conference's top scorers.

Guard - Dylan Harper (Freshman)

Much of the program's hopes rest on the shoulders of an 18-year-old combo guard with an NBA skillset. The accolades were plentiful in high school: McDonald's All-American MVP, Jordan Brand Classic MVP, Max Preps National High School Player of the Year, Naismith National High School Player of the Year Finalist ... the list goes on. His older brother is beloved for his exploits in Piscataway, but Dylan may ultimately be the superior player.

Forward - Jeremiah Williams (Senior)

After arriving in Piscataway after a gambling issue at Iowa State, Williams emerged as an offensive fulcrum for Rutgers. The former Temple product and Chicago native averaged 12.2 points per game in 12 games. While he's back in the shadows compared to the hype of the star freshmen, Williams - one of two captains - should be one of the team's top players again.

Forward - Ace Bailey (Freshman)

If Harper is the legacy, Ace Bailey is the supernova. He's the highest ranked recruit in school history, almost sure to be a top three pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, assuming he takes the one-and-done route heretofore unheard of at Rutgers. He's 6-foot-10 with the versatility to play across positions at any spot, both offensively and defensively. The sky is the limit for the 18-year-old.

Center - Emmanuel Ogbole (Junior)

Emmanuel Ogbole appears to be the weak link in Rutgers' starting lineup. The Nigerian big man is raw, not even playing the sport until he was 17. He averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in limited action last year, but will need to take a leap to fill the void left by Clifford Omoruyi's transfer to Alabama.