Ad Disclosure
Report: Ace Bailey Initially Refused to Work Out for the Sixers (UPDATED)
By Kyle Pagan
Published:
The mock drafts are mocking eight days before the NBA draft and it looks like V.J. Edgecombe is the pick for the Sixers, at least according to Jonathan Givony at ESPN.com. This spot has been mostly reserved for Ace Bailey, but according to Givony. Bailey initially refused to visit the Sixers for a private workout before scheduling one later this week:
Edgecombe takes over this spot from Ace Bailey in ESPN’s mock draft after a positive visit to Philadelphia, where sources say he made a strong impression in a private workout as well as in meetings with the front office and ownership. He appears to be “the leader in the clubhouse” currently, with Bailey losing momentum after refusing to visit, initially unsatisfied with his search for a proven pathway to development. However, Bailey is scheduled to work out in Philadelphia at the end of this week, and we’ll see if he’s able to sway the tides in his favor.
The feedback from his interviews at the draft combine in Chicago was not all that positive, with some teams expressing concern about his lack of preparation and focus. NBA executives say Bailey has been polarizing in internal front-office conversations because of questions about his feel for the game and lack of polish, creating a wider draft range than initially anticipated.
Now everything you read around draft time you have to take with the largest grain of salt. You don’t know if this is a smoke screen from teams picking behind the Sixers, planting information and hoping Bailey falls to them. If this is true, though, it’s quite alarming that every mock draft has you projected to go to a team and you refuse to work out for them. Everything Givony wrote about Bailey doesn’t really make me believe he’s the guy that will be able to deal with the pressure that comes with playing in Philly. It sounds like he wants to be great, but on his own terms.
It’s one thing for one guy to write an article about a prospect’s attitude rubbing teams the wrong way, but it’s another for other NBA insiders to start piling on:
Givony dug deeper and mentioned that Bailey’s pre-draft strategy has “perplexed” teams from around the league and that he wants “a clear pathway to stardom” –
Bailey’s predraft workout strategy has perplexed some observers, as he has yet to conduct a single known workout to date, having declined invitations from several teams within his draft range. Sources say Bailey’s camp has informed interested teams that they believe he is a top-3 player in the draft, but also seeks a clear pathway to stardom, perhaps feeling comfortable that a team will trade up to get him at Nos. 3 or 4, should he drop.
Some teams question whether Bailey has received assurances of being selected by a team currently outside the top 5, to a situation deemed more advantageous from a geographic and playing time perspective.
Bailey is scheduled to conduct a workout with the 76ers later this week, but it’s unclear if he plans to visit any other teams at this stage…
There’s no denying Bailey is a top-3 talent it’s just tough to measure his floor and ceiling. He’s a boom-or-bust guy. He’s athletic as hell, but some of his mechanics on the offensive end are raw. Edgecombe, on the other hand, is way more polished offensively. It’s just hard not to fall in love with Bailey’s dimensions. He’s an absolute specimen at 6’7 with a 7-foot wingspan, that if he’s able to put it all together you know he’s going to be a problem in this league for years and the Sixers will look dumb for passing on him – an unfortunate reality we Sixers fans have experienced before. You’d hope being so close to Rutgers the Sixers have better intel than other teams about Bailey if he’s the guy. But the last thing the Sixers need is another moody, all about himself-type player on this team right now. Those reports, if true, that he wants a clear path to stardom works in Washington and New Orleans. Go be in the land of misfit toys where you can grab 30 minutes a night, shoot as much as you want, and win 30 games a year. That’s the last guy the Sixers need right now. They need a dog. Someone who isn’t afraid to be a guy. Someone who can help them immediately since the championship window is closing. If Edgecombe impressed in his workout and his interviews than maybe he’s it. Maybe it’s Tre Johnson from Texas. We’ll probably get 10 different mock drafts from now until next Wednesday that’ll replace Edgecombe with Bailey and vice-versa. That’s mock draft life.
Kinkead/update: we are now hearing, just like everybody else is hearing, that Bailey did not refuse to meet with the Sixers. That’s contrary to the ESPN report. Perhaps there was some confusion between Ace Bailey and Ace Frehley.
Kyle writes blog posts and does Man on the Street-style videos all around Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University (a basketball school) in 2015. contact: k.pagan@sportradar.com