Ace Bailey Reportedly Cancels 76ers Visit amid VJ Edgecombe, NBA Draft Rumors
Ace Bailey reportedly has yet to visit with an NBA team ahead of the draft and still does not have a meeting scheduled.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Shams Charania reported late Wednesday night that Bailey will not visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday:
"Bailey, the No. 3 prospect on ESPN's big board, was slated to fly to Philadelphia, owners of the No. 3 pick in the draft, Friday, for dinner with the team's front office and a private workout, but elected to cancel on Wednesday, sources told ESPN."
Jason Dumas of 6 ABC in Philadelphia reported that Bailey was "seeking a promise from the Sixers prior to committing to a meeting." Dumas noted the meeting "appears to be unlikely now."
Givony and Charania's report comes after NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported on Wednesday that the Rutgers product was scheduled to fly to Philadelphia on Thursday to meet with the 76ers.
Bailey has not worked out for an NBA team and the plan reportedly was to initially meet with team officials and then hold an on-court workout Friday. With Stein and Fischer reporting Philadelphia will likely remain at No. 3 with the San Antonio Spurs planning on holding onto the No. 2 pick and drafting Dylan Harper, this could have been Bailey's best chance to solidify himself as a top-three selection.
"The Sixers have not ruled out selecting Bailey, despite his refusal to visit Philadelphia, sources told ESPN," according to Givony and Charania. "The team has scouted him extensively throughout the season, as he plays his college basketball at nearby Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, and interviewed him in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine. The team will have final discussions on who to select in the coming week and is unlikely to move down in the draft order next Wednesday, sources said."
Bailey's situation has been a head-scratching process to this point.
Givony reported "Bailey's pre-draft 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."
Givony and Charania added, "Should the 76ers, at 3, and Charlotte at 4, elect not to draft him, Bailey's camp has expressed the belief that teams like the Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, or Brooklyn Nets, picking 6, 7, and 8, will be aggressive looking to move up in the draft and select him."
One scout went as far as saying Bailey is "goofy," per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, although that same scout made sure to point out the "immaturity isn't associated with being a bad person or unruly."
He flashed his immense potential at times during his one season with Rutgers while averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game and shooting 46 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from deep.
Yet despite having Bailey and Harper on the roster, the Scarlet Knights failed to reach the NCAA men's tournament.
B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected the 76ers to take VJ Edgecombe in his latest mock draft, although he acknowledged there is an ongoing debate between the Baylor product and Bailey when it comes to the No. 3 overall selection.
"Rival teams think the Sixers could be more drawn to Edgecombe's athleticism and superior analytics, as well as his encouraging shooting development," Wasserman wrote.
