‘Polarizing’ ex-Rutgers star Ace Bailey slides in latest NBA mock drafts due to ‘perplexing’ strategy

With a week to go until the 2025 NBA Draft, Ace Bailey is starting to slip down the board.

The former Rutgers star, projected as a top-five pick for a majority of the past 18 months, was listed at No. 6 in expert Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft on ESPN, which was published on Tuesday morning.

That is a three-spot fall for Bailey from Givony’s previous mock, which projected him to be selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the third pick. The forward is “losing momentum after refusing to visit” Philadelphia because he was “initially unsatisfied with his search for a proven pathway to development,” per Givony.

Bailey is now scheduled to work out with the Sixers at the end of the week, but he will have to overcome the perception he has created during the pre-draft process.

From Givony:

The feedback from his interviews at the draft combine in Chicago was not all that positive, with some teams expressing concern about his lack of preparation and focus. NBA executives say Bailey has been polarizing in internal front-office conversations because of questions about his feel for the game and lack of polish, creating a wider draft range than initially anticipated.

Givony now projects him to land at No. 6 with the Washington Wizards, but there seems to be no clear answer to where he will land given how his camp is approaching the process.

Bailey’s predraft workout strategy has perplexed some observers, as he has yet to conduct a single known workout to date, having declined invitations from several teams within his draft range. Sources say Bailey’s camp has informed interested teams that they believe he is a top-3 player in the draft, but also seeks a clear pathway to stardom, perhaps feeling comfortable that a team will trade up to get him at Nos. 3 or 4, should he drop.

Some teams question whether Bailey has received assurances of being selected by a team currently outside the top 5, to a situation deemed more advantageous from a geographic and playing time perspective.

There is less ambiguity surrounding Bailey’s college teammate Dylan Harper, who is expected to be selected second overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

From Givony:

Most talent evaluators consider Harper to be in a tier of his own as the draft’s clear-cut second-best prospect, overriding potential concerns the Spurs might have about his imperfect backcourt fit with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, due to a distinct lack of perimeter shooting.

Rival teams attempting to engage in trade talks with the Spurs have come away with the impression it’s unlikely they move down or off the pick at No. 2; it seems San Antonio is excited about the possibility of adding a talent of Harper’s caliber and is willing to be patient, figuring out roster construction concerns later.

The NBA Draft is set for Wednesday, June 25, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

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Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com.