Likely First-round NBA pick Ace Bailey has confused some experts with his moves before the draft, but one observer thinks there could be a smart strategy behind his decisions.
Shams Charania Believes Ace Bailey Will Be ‘Where He Wants To Be’ on Draft Night
Rutgers guard Ace Bailey is one of the most talked-about prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft, set for Wednesday (June 25) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
But over the last few days, the focus has shifted to his surprising decision not to work out for any NBA teams — including the Philadelphia 76ers, who hold the third pick (and one high-profile critic in Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro). Bailey canceled his workout with the team last week, but Shams Charania explained why that might not matter on draft night.
“I spoke to a source close to Ace Bailey and they are very confident with where he’ll end up in the draft..
Somewhere between three and eight somebody is gonna draft Ace Bailey” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/jQVvlUaKft
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 25, 2025
During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” the network’s senior NBA reporter was asked where Bailey might land in the draft after not working out for any teams.
“I spoke to a source close to Ace Bailey, and they are very confident with where he’ll end up in the draft,” he said. “Somewhere between as high as three, or as low as eight or nine. They feel like he’ll land exactly where he wants to be.”
Charania added, “He’s either got a method to the madness, or the critics are right. Somewhere between three and eight, somebody is gonna draft Ace Bailey. It may not be where he wants to go.”
He admitted Bailey’s approach has been “unorthodox” and suggested more information could come out, including a possible private workout that hasn’t been made public. McAfee agreed, saying, “A lot of teams lie.”
That thinking was echoed by ESPN reporter Jonathan Givony in another article.
“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 such as geography, minutes, role, opportunity and development,” Givony wrote.
If Bailey falls out of the top five, it “could cost him $10 million to $15 million.” But Givony notes he could make that up with his second contract if he lives up to scouting reports that project him as an All-Star-level wing scorer — something teams crave in today’s NBA.
