It wasn’t quite a Shedeur Sanders free fall, as Rutgers wing Ace Bailey only slid a couple of spots in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft following his controversial strategy during the lead-up process.

The polarizing Bailey, who bypassed workouts with multiple teams near the top of the draft — including an initially projected landing spot with the 76ers at No. 3 — was snapped up by the Jazz with the No. 5 selection.

Afterward, the 18-year-old New Jersey product admitted he had “no idea” whether Utah — which finished with the worst record in the league (17-65) last season — was even interested in him.

“I can control what I can control. [Critics] feel how they feel, but my team and me, [I’m] focusing on basketball,” Bailey said later Wednesday night at Barclays Center. “I’m glad it’s over. I’m ready to play some basketball now. It’s just been a great journey.

“I feel like once I come in, it’s going to be a lot of work. But I feel like I’m a person that likes to work out a lot. I’m going to push my teammates to be the best they can be. I want to come in and be a leader as a young cat.”

College teammate Dylan Harper — the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper — was picked No. 2, by the Spurs, right after Duke’s Cooper Flagg expectedly went No. 1 to the Mavericks.

Rutgers became the first team in NCAA history to have two NBA draft picks in the top five in the same year after missing the NCAA Tournament.

“I love that guy, man,” Harper said of Bailey. “Y’all understand the stuff he’s been through, all the bad talk, everyone talking about him.

“He just continues to put a smile on his face every day, no matter what’s going on. I love that man. I’m so happy for him. The sky’s the limit.”

Of course, there was little drama or intrigue surrounding this year’s No. 1 pick, with Flagg going wire-to-wire in practically every prediction for the past year until he finally was selected Wednesday night by the Mavs.

In having his name called first by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, the freshman forward became the sixth player from Duke to be tabbed at No. 1, which now is twice as many as any other NCAA program in league history.

Four of those six have come in the past 15 years, and all of those presently are in the NBA with Flagg joining Kyrie Irving (2011) in Dallas. Former top picks Zion Williamson (2019 by the Pelicans) and Paolo Banchero (2022 by the Magic) also played collegiately for the Blue Devils.

“I don’t think it’s set in yet. It feels surreal,” Flagg said. “I’m just playing the moments back in my head, standing up, hearing my name, and it went so fast. It feels like a blur.

“But I just feel really blessed and honored just to be here.”

Kentucky is the only other college basketball program with even three No. 1 overall picks, and they all came within a six-year span — John Wall, Anthony Davis and current Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns — from 2010-15.

Baylor guard and Long Island Lutheran product VJ Edgecombe was selected third by Philadelphia, with Duke guard Kon Knueppel (Hornets) rounding out the top five.

The rebuilding Nets also began the night with five first-round picks following their inclusion in Tuesday’s three-team trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis from Boston to Atlanta, beginning with BYU guard Egor Demin at No. 8.

The Knicks are not slated to pick until No. 50 in Thursday’s second round after acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Nets last summer for a deal that included five first-round choices, including two of Brooklyn’s five (19 and 26) Wednesday night.