Bailey has reportedly refused to workout for several teams in his draft range
Consensus No. 3 prospect Ace Bailey cancelled his pre-draft workout with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, according to ESPN, which only fuels rumors of his potential draft slide.
The reports of Bailey’s possible slide began Sunday when ESPN’s latest mock draft dropped him from No. 3 to No. 6, which would send him to the Washington Wizards. According to ESPN’s Jonathon Givony, Bailey has refused to workout for several teams in his draft range, believing he is a top-three player in this draft.
Ace Bailey slides to Washington at 6 in our latest mock draft, due to a confluence of influences, including his own refusal to work out for teams in his draft range.
ESPN: https://t.co/8cKwiPfx2x pic.twitter.com/RYmpzRWKKo
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 17, 2025
Bailey remains the only U.S.-born prospect in this year’s draft to not complete a pre-draft workout. His agent, Omar Cooper, has been rumored as the brains behind this unique pre-draft strategy.
Cooper is the father of former Auburn guard Sharife Cooper, who left school after playing just 12 games despite enjoying a solid freshman season. Sharife never played in the NBA and currently plays overseas.
It’s been reported that Bailey’s camp wants a proven pathway to stardom, which they believe requires starter-level minutes and a relatively big role as a rookie. Bailey won’t find that on a contender like Philadelphia, which could be the reason he cancelled that workout.
That leaves Charlotte at No. 4, Utah at No. 5 and Washington at No. 6 as possible suitors — all teams that could offer the Rutgers forward a prominent role with heavy minutes in Year 1.
So, that means Bailey would be content going to one of those teams? Well, not exactly, as Bailey has reportedly refused to workout for several teams in his draft range, which one can assume is anywhere from No. 3-No. 6.
While strange, Bailey’s pre-draft strategy of avoiding contending teams in search of a proven pathway to development, and possibly stardom, makes sense considering the shaky careers of some prospects who were recently drafted into contending situations.
Golden State, still in the hunt for another NBA title, selected James Wiseman at No. 2, and the following year, drafted Jonathon Kuminga at No. 7. While the Warriors won a championship along the way, the development of both players was placed on the back-burner, as they took on limited roles in the pursuit of a title.
Just last year, Houston selected Reed Sheppard at No. 3, and while the former Kentucky standout has a ways to go before reaching Wiseman levels, he played just 12 minutes per game as a rookie, splitting time between the G League and the NBA.
Clearly, Bailey’s camp doesn’t want that treatment, which is likely why they are essentially forcing Bailey into a situation where he’ll play heavy minutes as a rookie. If that’s what they seek, look no further than the Wizards, who specialized in that area last season.
The most minutes per game played by a rookie last season:
- Bub Carrington (30.0) — Wizards
- Alex Sarr (27.1) — Wizards
- Yves Missi (26.8) — Pelicans
- Stephon Castle (26.7) — Spurs
- Kyshawn George (26.5) — Wizards
If Bailey is looking for a major role with heavy minutes as a rookie, Washington seems like the best bet. Furthermore, after trading Kyle Kuzma at last year’s trade deadline, Washington has an opening at forward, which Bailey could fill early in his career.
Bailey certainly comes with several red flags, but at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan and tremendous offensive upside, he could fall into Washington’s lap at No. 6. Whether they take him and run or pass on him for the concerns highlighted above is the next question.