Ace Bailey continues to be the talk of the basketball world, and not just because of his on-court skills. His failure to respond to invitations to practice with potential NBA teams has left fans anything but happy.
Now, on the day of the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York, the Rutgers prospect is attracting even more negative press.
Fans React to Ace Bailey Ceremonial Pitch
Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Ace Bailey made his most recent public appearance on Tuesday when he threw the ceremonial first pitch at the New York Mets-Atlanta Braves game in NYC.
Ace Bailey throws out the first pitch before the Mets game pic.twitter.com/lYiuDlrwsP
— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) June 25, 2025
Bailey, who attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, threw an extremely high pitch, which also drew a variety of comments from fans.
Ace Bailey terrified of Philly basketball. Smh
— RMacs (@PhillyHotspur) June 25, 2025
Doing everything he can to avoid coming to Philly
— Sinclair Baker (@BuhJeez) June 25, 2025
At least he showed up for it
— DepressedPhillyFan (@sprtsnut10) June 25, 2025
Most of the comments came from fans referring to the fact that he skipped a workout with the Philadelphia 76ers recently in a strategic move of sorts to sway the team away from selecting him.
Meanwhile, other posts trolled him for his playing abilities.
He can’t pass so it makes sense it was a trash pitch.
— Jloops03 (@jloops03) June 25, 2025
The 76ers are considered Bailey’s top destination in the upcoming draft. Most experts predict that the team will select the 6’7.5″ guard with the third overall pick. Bailey measured shorter than expected at the NBA Draft Combine, coming in at 6’7.5″ without shoes despite being listed at 6’10” during his time at Rutgers.
However, his refusal to work out with teams has been so pronounced that it could lower his draft stock. Bailey is the only U.S.-based prospect yet to visit any clubs, declining invitations from multiple teams in his draft range.
His potential teammate in Philadelphia, Paul George, recently addressed the issue on his podcast, saying, “I mean, I think if I’m Ace Bailey, I can’t get mad if my stock drops.”
He continued, “But he hasn’t worked out for any team. But you’re not in a position to be making those demands. Make it to the league first. It’s for sure the people around him. I don’t know who’s representing him, but I don’t think they’re going about it the right way.”
The criticism from George is particularly significant, considering he could potentially be Bailey’s teammate if the 76ers select him. The ex-Rutgers star, for his part, declined during his visit to New York to mention the reasons for not having trained with any team.
“I’m just blessed to be in this position I am right now,” Bailey said. “That’s all. Take it day by day. I can control what I can control. Me playing basketball,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
Despite his controversial approach, there’s no doubt that Bailey has the talent and skills necessary to play in the NBA next season. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds during his freshman season at Rutgers.
The 76ers have not ruled out selecting Bailey despite his refusal to visit. However, his unorthodox pre-draft strategy has raised questions about maturity that could impact his landing spot. We’ll see what team he ends up with after these behaviors.
