As the 2024–25 NBA season reaches its breathtaking climax, all eyes are on Game 7 of the Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. With the series tied at 3-3, the league is set to crown a champion on June 22.
But just days after the confetti falls, a new kind of drama is set to unfold: the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25. Already, the headlines are heating up, this time surrounding one of the most hyped prospects in the class, Rutgers star Ace Bailey.
Ace Bailey’s Agency Has a New Plan in Place Before the 2025 NBA Draft
In a shocking twist, a recent report by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggests that Bailey, who was once considered a near-lock for a top-three selection, may now fall in the draft.
According to league insiders, this potential slide isn’t performance-related. Instead, it may be the result of a bold, high-risk tactic employed by Bailey’s agency.
“Multiple league sources said Bailey’s agent, Omar Cooper, wanted the Sixers to commit to him before his scheduled Friday workout. One league executive believes that Bailey, once a consensus top-three pick, probably will drop in the draft because of his agency’s tactics.”
“Bailey remains the only American-based draft prospect to not visit any teams for a workout. Another league executive believes that the agency wants Bailey to remain on the East Coast and play somewhere between Atlanta and New York,” wrote Pompey in his article.
This development comes at a pivotal time for the Philadelphia 76ers, who currently hold the No. 3 pick. Just last week, rumors swirled that Philadelphia had been in discussions with the San Antonio Spurs, who own the No. 2 overall pick, about a potential trade-up scenario.
The belief was that Philly wanted to secure the rights to another Rutgers standout, Dylan Harper, who dazzled in his lone college season by averaging 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and four assists per game.
However, insiders also noted that the Sixers were still doing their due diligence and had arranged a visit with Bailey.
The plot thickened when Bailey and his representatives made the surprising decision to cancel their scheduled meeting in Philadelphia this week, according to 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
“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 think of it. I think people around the league don’t really know what to make of it,”
Bailey, who posted 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during his freshman season at Rutgers, was projected to be one of the first names off the board. Now, with only a few days left until the draft, uncertainty looms over his landing spot.
