76ers' Morey Says Ace Bailey Nixing Workout Didn't Impact VJ Edgecombe NBA Draft Pick
Ace Bailey infamously decided against working out for any NBA teams ahead of Wednesday's NBA draft, reportedly in an attempt to steer himself to the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans or Brooklyn Nets.
It didn't work—the Utah Jazz selected him at No. 5 overall.
There had been buzz at points in the pre-draft process that the Philadelphia 76ers were interested as well before he canceled a workout with the team. But Sixers president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, told reporters that Bailey's decision didn't impact its plans at No. 3, with the team ultimately selecting Baylor wing VJ Edecombe.
There's a pretty strong argument to be made that Edgecombe was not only the better prospect, but also the better fit for the Sixers.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie called him "one of the safest prospects in the draft. He's an elite athlete functionally on the court, and his defense is genuinely tremendous. He is disruptive all over the court on the defensive end and makes opposing players' lives miserable. On offense, Edgecombe is a shooter off the catch who started to show an ability to knock down shots from 3 off movement."
He added that Edgecombe was a bit like "Gary Harris if you attached a jet pack to him."
The Sixers, meanwhile, have indicated that one of the priorities in the offseason was adding younger, and more athletic, players around the trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.
"Last season was pretty clear, and I put this on me... What I did not do well is make sure we had the youth and athleticism to make sure we get through the season," Morey acknowledged in early May. "That is something we will do next year."
If the Sixers retain Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, as expected, the team could have an intriguing core group of Embiid, George, Maxey, Jared McCain, Edgecombe, Grimes and Yabusele. Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon may also return on player options.
If the Sixers can stay healthy—something that eluded them in the 2024-25 season—they could make some noise in a depleted Eastern Conference. And if Edgecombe can hit the ground running and become an instant contributor, much like McCain did a season ago, the team's ceiling undoubtedly goes up a notch.
