When Ace Bailey arrived on campus at Rutgers, he did so as a five-star recruit. While some might suggest the former top recruit didn’t quite live up to his full potential in his lone season with the Scarlet Knights, Bailey did flash his potential just enough to land on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Now, he’s a projected top-10 pick ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, but he began this process as a potential top-three pick. It hasn’t helped that Bailey has avoided some teams during the pre-draft process with some even speculating that he’s received a promise from a team selecting in the top five.
We know the Dallas Mavericks won’t be selecting him at No. 1. The San Antonio Spurs may be locked into Dylan Harper at No. 2.
That leaves the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3, Charlotte Hornets at No. 4, and the Utah Jazz at No. 5.
However, according to Draft Express, Bailey’s representation has reportedly made it known that he does not want to be drafted by either the Hornets or Jazz, for whatever reason.
Of course, Bailey can’t control which team drafts him. If the Hornets or Jazz do decide to select Bailey, he’ll have no choice but to begin his NBA career with his new team.
Meanwhile, it’s also entirely possible that this rumor is just a rumor, with zero truth to it. After all, it’s hard to imagine Bailey not wanting to be drafted as high as he possibly can.
Related: Multiple teams trying to trade their top-10 pick for Jaylen Brown and another Boston Celtics player
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