Airius Bailey talks Tennessee and Auburn; Georgia's best in 2024?

Powder Springs (GA) McEachern High has produced a lot of athletic talent over the years. The next national name in line looks like it will be 6-foot-8 sophomore Airius ‘Ace’ Bailey.

“I rebound, score, look for opportunities to help my team win,” Bailey told On3 Sports. “I’ve gotten stronger since the summer, which has helped with my physicality. I am rebounding better and blocking more shots. I take stuff from Kevin Durant, his mid-game is unstoppable, and that is what I am working on right now.”

The college coaches can see the talent, and his offer list has started to pile up. Airius Bailey spoke exclusively with On3 Sports to talk about his background and speak on the early stages of his recruitment.

“I have offers from Ohio State, Auburn, Tennessee, West Virginia, Murray State, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Tennessee State, Georgia, Oklahoma right now,” Bailey said. “I hear from them all pretty regularly. Visits-wise, I have taken unofficials to Auburn and Tennessee; those are the two schools I know the most about.”

Bailey talks recruitment

Auburn: “I learned how they play with people like me. Jabari Smith has the open light; he has a lot of freedom on the offensive end with the ball. I like that.”

Tennessee: “Rick Barnes coached Kevin Durant, and a lot of people say I play like that. He lets his guards and his bigs play freely.”

“Oregon, North Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Memphis, and Mississippi State,” Bailey said. “They are telling me the next game they come to watch; I should get an offer.”

Bailey’s take

“I’ll be looking at how I bond with the team, the coaches,” Bailey said. “I will be looking at the location, how my parents will fit in the area. I want to see how the team communicates with my family and me throughout the process.

“We are a basketball family, no doubt about it. My mom, Ramika McGee, went to West Virginia. My dad, Richard Bailey, went to U of H, my aunt, Venus Lacy, played in the WNBA. We are all like 6-foot-5 and above.”

On3’s take

Airius Bailey is a lengthy and explosive forward prospect in the 2024 class. He has a lot of natural tools to work with, and it is easy to see why the college coaches are already lining to track his progress. At the same time, Bailey is far from a finished product, his ability to handle and shoot the ball in the half-court intrigues. What stood out the most in this game was the 13 rebounds he had. He played with a go-get-the-ball mentality, which translates while you sharpen everything else. With his bloodlines and athletic genes, make sure to earmark this name and look for Bailey to track as a national-level recruit.