The 2024-25 NBA season is officially in the books, with the Oklahoma City Thunder claiming their first championship after a dominant 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7. But if you think the basketball world is slowing down, think again.
The league is buzzing with anticipation for the 2025 NBA Draft, scheduled for June 25. And at the center of all the noise? Rutgers’ electric forward, Ace Bailey, a player once seen as a top-three lock who is now making headlines for a completely different reason.
NBA Insiders Believe Ace Bailey’s Agency Is Finding the Perfect Fit for Him
In recent days, NBA fans and analysts have been stunned by reports that Bailey has been declining predraft workout invitations from several top-five teams.
According to a new ESPN report by draft insiders Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, Bailey has officially turned down workout invites from the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz, which are all teams with top-five selections.
“Bailey, the No. 3 prospect on our big board, is the only U.S. prospect yet to visit an NBA team facility, continuing to decline workout invites from Philadelphia, Charlotte, and Utah, and seemingly preferring the group of teams ranked outside the top five, specifically Washington, New Orleans, and Brooklyn at Nos. 6-7-8,” wrote the insiders in the ESPN report.
According to Givony and Woo, Bailey’s team believes that bypassing certain franchises might help him land in a more tailored basketball environment, one that allows him to develop at his own pace with a clearer long-term role.
“Bailey’s camp states they ‘feel confident going into the draft process,’ which most NBA teams interpret as meaning he has received assurances of being selected by a team considered more advantageous to Bailey in the long term, considering factors like geography, minutes, role, opportunity, and development,” the insiders added in their report.
The first team to receive a rejection from Bailey’s camp was the 76ers.
Just a few days ago, it was revealed that the Sixers, who currently hold the No. 3 pick, had been in talks with the San Antonio Spurs, who own the No. 2 pick, about a potential trade-up scenario.
The buzz was that Philadelphia had their eyes set on another Rutgers sensation, Dylan Harper, who impressed scouts and executives alike by putting up 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in his freshman season. Still doing their due diligence, the Sixers extended an invitation to Bailey for a private workout, one that he ultimately turned down.
“He was supposed to be in Philly. They had all of his flight arrangements set. They had dinner for him set. They had breakfast for him set. They had a workout session for him set. Everything arranged for him and he essentially bailed.”
“The Sixers don’t quite know what to make of it. I think people on the league don’t really know what to make of it,” said ESPN’s Shams Charania while appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“For all we know there might be a promise in place for Ace Bailey..
He was supposed to be in Philadelphia today and they had everything arranged for him..
From my understanding he cancelled on that visit”@ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/XLPHp4bIrq
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 19, 2025
However, there’s a significant financial gamble tied to this strategy.
As stated in the ESPN report, Bailey’s potential slide down the draft board could end up costing him millions of dollars. This is because of the NBA’s rookie wage scale, outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement, that dictates a structured pay system where each draft slot is tied to guaranteed earnings. Falling from a top-three pick to the late lottery means a steep drop in guaranteed money.
“This type of slide could cost him between $10-to-$15 million dollars if it happens,” the insiders added in the report.
In his lone season at Rutgers, Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-10 forward was considered one of the most polarizing prospects in this draft class even before his unusual predraft approach. While scouts praised his scoring versatility and defensive potential, questions remained about his shot selection and consistency.
Now, as draft night approaches, his stock has become one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 class. The Dallas Mavericks hold the No. 1 pick and are expected to select Duke’s Cooper Flagg, while the Spurs at No. 2 are likely targeting Harper.
Bailey’s strategy appears centered on finding the right developmental situation rather than simply landing with the highest-picking team. Whether this unconventional approach pays off remains to be seen when the draft begins Wednesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
