In one of the more perplexing developments in the NBA Draft in recent memory, prime Philadelphia 76ers target and consensus elite prospect Ace Bailey has turned heads with what he and his camp have brewed as of late with the draft coming under a week from now.
Reports have circulated touching on the peculiar stance that Bailey’s party has adopted ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. As already reported by multiple outlets, the Rutgers star has not yet met with any team in the lottery. In fact, he has cancelled his erstwhile scheduled private workout with the 76ers, casting a cloud on his ultimate spot come June 25.
Bailey, who is undoubtedly one of the more interesting prospects in this year’s draft class, similarly touts some questionable bits on his profile. This development only reinforces what naysayers have pointed out as concerns about his on-court and off-court status, and would normally be more than sufficient to see his value swiftly wane before the draft commenced.
However, history says the 76ers could still defy expectations.
76ers could still draft Ace Bailey despite a glaring red flag following latest rumor
Philly seems poised to take Baylor standout VJ Edgecombe instead of Bailey, but despite the latter’s puzzling maneuvering, it seems like the 76ers remain open to the possibility of selecting him at No. 3.
However, this seems to not be out of the ordinary for the franchise. As pointed out by ESPN, the 76ers have previously — and recently — selected prospects despite not having conducted the usual pre-draft workouts, such as Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain from last year.
This is a noteworthy fact that should be taken into account when forecasting how the 76ers stand to operate on draft night. Sure, the front office could very well favor Edgecombe, but penciling Bailey in as a definite afterthought could perhaps come off as a hasty proposition given this information.
Although there is a striking variance in that both Maxey and McCain were not lottery selections, this only fortifies the fact that the 76ers will not be afraid to make the unpopular decision. If the team’s brass becomes convinced on the undeniably high ceiling of Bailey, they could make that surprising call to select him at No. 3.
Given all that has transpired as of late, that would upset many. But the Philadelphia 76ers have already defied conventions in their recent draft history, and ultimately, the front office seems to still prioritize deciding their selection purely on the merits of each prospect which, while leaving room for a shocking scenario, would be difficult to entirely steer clear from.