Ace Bailey Breaks Silence On Risky Pre-Draft Decision

Philadelphia 76ers draft prospect Ace Bailey spoke on his decision to go workout-free before the NBA Draft.

Mar 9, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) slap hands with fans after the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

On the eve of the 2025 NBA Draft, Ace Bailey addressed reporters, who pressed for answers on the young star’s decision to avoid working out for teams before the big event.

Bailey didn’t have much to say on the matter.

“I’m just working on basketball,” said the former Rutgers forward. “That’s all I’m focused on.”

As far as the narrative goes, Bailey isn’t interested in investing too much of his energy into thinking about it.

“I feel like I can only control what I can control,” he added. “You can think what you think, but I can control what I can control. [I can only control] me playing basketball.”

"I can only control what I can control, you can think what you think - I'm focused on basketball"

Ace Bailey talks about his mindset ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft: pic.twitter.com/Gwt1TrNmf2

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025

It’s clear Bailey didn’t want to reveal the true reason behind his decision to reject meeting pre-draft meeting inquiries, and even canceled on the Philadelphia 76ers, who hold the third-overall pick.

A familiar trend in Bailey’s pre-draft process continued on Tuesday; the young forward is facing public backlash for his responses. Bailey wants to keep the focus on basketball, but he’s made it difficult to do so, considering he didn't scrimmage at the NBA Draft Combine, and opted out of working out for teams over the past month.

The NBA Draft Combine and formal visits to team facilities won’t always make or break a prospect’s value in the draft. At the end of the day, teams get plenty of eyes on a player in competition through live spectating and tape. Bailey has 30 games' worth of evidence to show why he’s a consensus top 10 pick—if not top-three.

During his run at Rutgers, Bailey averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. He made 46 percent of his shots from the field, and drilled 35 percent of his threes on 4.5 attempts per game.

May 13, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Ace Bailey (21) and Tre Johnson (56) participate in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Before the NBA Draft Lottery, Bailey was viewed as a top-three prospect. Not long after the Sixers landed the third pick, Bailey’s chances of going as high as three started to shift. The Sixers reportedly took a liking to VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor.

Edgecombe paid a visit to the Sixers, and Bailey was expected to follow. In the days leading up to his arrival, Bailey canceled and put his focus on draft night.

There’s been a lot of speculation that Bailey could be hoping to slide, with the Washington Wizards and the Brooklyn Nets as two teams to keep an eye on. The incoming rookie has kept his cards close to his chest. Ultimately, he’ll end up somewhere in the top 10. While signs are pointing somewhere else for the Sixers, Bailey is still an option.

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