The 2025 NBA Draft is just a week away, and the draft board is beginning to fall into place behind the certain No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.
For much of the pre-draft process, the Rutgers duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have been discussed as the players most likely to round out the top three. But while Harper, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, has demonstrated some staying power as the No. 2 pick in mock drafts, Bailey is starting to tumble.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony has reported that Bailey declined "several" pre-draft workout invites, and Bailey's camp has reportedly made it clear that the 6-foot-10 wing wants "a clear path to stardom" in the NBA.
Bailey this week is set to work out for the Philadelphia 76ers - who hold the No. 3 pick - and his draft day "floor" seems to be the Washington Wizards at pick No. 6. This might signal that teams still hold Bailey in high regard, despite concerns over perceived "immaturity."
Citing sources with connections to Bailey, 76ers reporter Keith Pompey says Bailey's maturity level is "age-appropriate" for a teenager.
"He's goofy," one scout told Pompey. "You are doing drills, he's dancing. ... He’s playful, which is age-appropriate.”
Bailey is one of the draft's more-unique prospects. Though scouts say his ball-handling has to improve at the next level, Bailey's smooth shooting mechanics make his jumper difficult to defend for someone of his height.
If paired with a high-level playmaker in the NBA - the kind he did not have in his sole season at Rutgers - Bailey's game could blossom. It remains to be seen though whether teams will be scared off by the rumors emanating from the player's entourage.