A top NBA Draft prospect appears to be alienating some teams by repeatedly turning down workout opportunities.
In his latest mock draft, Jonathan Givony of ESPN wrote that former Rutgers standout Ace Bailey has “perplexed” some observers with his pre-draft strategy. Bailey has turned down workout opportunities with teams in his draft range, and has yet to conduct a single workout with any team. He does, however, have a workout scheduled with the Philadelphia 76ers later this week.
Bailey’s camp has told teams that the Rutgers wing should be viewed as a top-3 talent, and that he is seeking a “clear pathway to stardom.” That could mean he would prefer to avoid landing with the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, or 76ers. Those three teams are picking in the top three, but have established stars on the roster that could force Bailey to accept a lesser role as a rookie.
According to Givony, some teams believe Bailey has received a guarantee from a team outside of the top 5 that is geographically preferable or can offer him more playing time immediately. The Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans are known to have interest in Bailey despite picking outside the top 5.
As a freshman at Rutgers, Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season. He is viewed as one of the most talented players in the draft, but there are varying opinions on his ceiling, and his attitude toward the pre-draft process could hurt his stock.
