Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is sounding off on whether the Philadelphia 76ers should take Rutgers product Ace Bailey in Wednesday’s NBA Draft with the third overall pick.
The 18-year-old Bailey frustrated 76ers fans when he canceled a private workout and team visit last week, just days before it was supposed to happen. Bailey, once thought to be a top-three pick, has slipped down mock draft boards after declining to visit any teams prior to the draft.
Bailey’s refusal to meet with the 76ers bugged the governor.
“I’m worried about that. If you’re not coming to work out, then you’ve got something wrong here,” Shapiro said on the “Men at Work” podcast while pointing at his head. “I’ve already sent a message about that.”
He continued: “I just don’t like that. He’s got great talent, great upside, but if you don’t want to be here, if you’re not dying to be here, I don’t want you to be here.”
When asked if Philadelphia should select Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the third pick, Shapiro hedged since the franchise already has Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain.
“If you look at the teams that are going far, they’ve got a bunch of guards who can run, three-and-D,” noted Shapiro, adding that the team needs Joel Embiid to be healthy after the former MVP played just 19 games last season due to a left knee injury.
Shapiro isn’t the first Pennsylvania governor to weigh in on 76ers draft picks. Ed Rendell famously — or infamously — ripped the 76ers for picking Embiid instead of Doug McDermott in the 2014 NBA Draft with the No. 3 pick.
“Joel Embid a great pick for Sixers but we will regret passing on Doug McDermott for years to come,” he posted at the time.
Joel Embid a great pick for Sixers but we will regret passing on Doug McDermott for years to come.
— Ed Rendell (@GovEdRendell) June 27, 2014
That take didn’t age well. When healthy, Embiid is one of the most dominant players in the world. McDermott, meanwhile, has averaged 8.6 points per game over his 11 seasons.
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins