Just a tad over a month from now, the Philadelphia 76ers will be making what could potentially be a franchise-defining selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the incoming pool of rookies widely touted as among the best classes yet, the front office should be able to easily snag an elite prospect which can augment both their present and future.
Aside from Cooper Flagg, who will definitely be the first overall pick this year and is slated to head to the Dallas Mavericks, and perhaps Dylan Harper, who is also the consensus second-best prospect in the 2025 class and hence, is likely to end up with the San Antonio Spurs, the 76ers have a slew of options with their own selection, making things interesting come draft night.
There is more unpredictability when it comes to Philly’s maneuvering in the draft compared to the two franchise picking ahead of them, but one name who is widely reckoned to be the third-best rookie prospect this year is Ace Bailey, whom most mock drafts have going to the 76ers after Flagg and Harper.
Top 76ers draft target Ace Bailey dishes perplexing comment
Bailey, who is listed at 6’10” and 210 pounds, is a tremendously promising prospect. At his size, he is a relentless shot-maker, capable of hitting from anywhere on the hardwood. Given his combination of size and shot-making, it’s not surprising why many see him as a potential Paul George or Kevin Durant type.
Having said that, there is a reason why opinions on him have been mized. For once, his defense is far from solid and has little acuity as a playmaker at this juncture. But perhaps more prominent is his often questionable shot selection, which has raised concerns over his decision-making.
To make things worse in that regard, Bailey does not seem to be too entrenched on addressing issues with his shot selection, perplexing fans and pundits alike with his recent comments.
The prized Rutgers standout definitely is not lacking in his confidence as a scorer, and perhaps, one could toss this one as typical rookie vanity — which is not iffy in and of itself, by the way.
However, the 76ers are in win-now mode, and if Bailey ends up getting drafted by the team, he will have to raise his on-court maturity up a notch given that he will be playing a complementary role to start his career.
As constructed, the Philadelphia 76ers already have a solid pecking order. And to ensure that Ace Bailey would be able to be a viable piece for the team in the present, he has to sharpen his game — which starts with knowing which shots to take and when to hoist them.