Entering next week’s NBA Draft at Barclays Center, there may be no player more polarizing than former Rutgers star Ace Bailey
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony recently dropped Bailey from No. 3 on his mock draft to No. 6 due to his "perplexing" strategy of not scheduling any workouts with NBA teams thus far.
Givony expanded on his thought process during an appearance this week on the Dunc’d On podcast.
“He scares people because they don’t want to draft him, and also because they’re worried if they don’t draft him, he’s going to become a star and make them look very stupid,” he said.
Indeed, Bailey is the type of player that NBA executives worry about because he could get them fired. If they draft him and he turns out to be a bust, you could get fired. If you don’t draft him and he turns out to be a star, it’s not a good look, either.
Givony currently has Bailey falling to the Washington Wizards at No. 6 where he previously had him going No. 3 to the Philadelphia 76ers, the spot he now has former Long Island Lutheran and Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe going.
Bailey was scheduled to work out for the Sixers this week, but his camp canceled it Wednesday night, a league source confirmed to NJ Advance Media.
Givony pointed out that, at 18, Bailey is younger than Edgecombe and Maryland big man Derik Queen, among other top prospects. He doesn’t turn 19 until August.
Bailey, who averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his one-and-done year at Rutgers, made headlines last month at the NBA Combine with some of his comments.
“What might be a bad shot to you, you don’t work on it,” he said. “I work on it.”
He added: “[I] work out consistently. Two people guarding me in a workout, three people guarding me in a workout. Creating space to get a shot off.”
Later at the Combine in an ESPN interview, Bailey was asked what are his top two strengths and his weakness.
“I ain’t got no weaknesses and I got more than two strengths big dog,” he said.
Bailey was listed at 6′10′' at Rutgers, but measured 6′7½" barefoot at the NBA Combine with a 7’0 ½" wingspan and 8’11″ standing reach.
“There are not many players who have dropped 38-39-point games in Big 10 game,” Givony said. “And so I just think that when you’re scoring at that level, at 18 years old, and I think it’s such a valued position, too. He can play three, he can play four, you can even play some jumbo lineups with him at the two. I just think that his floor is going to end up being pretty high. And I think he’s got a very, very high ceiling at the same time...
“I’ve seen him do more, like he played point guard in high school. You would never guess that based on the way he played at Rutgers....He’s not a great ball handler, he’s not a great passer, but he looks like a more competent shot creator and facilitator in that setting. Obviously, it’s high school, so should, and for me, what was encouraging was seeing the strides that he made as the year moved on [at Rutgers].”
Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell, whose team failed to make the NCAA Tournament despite having both Bailey and projected No. 2 pick Dylan Harper, raved about Bailey during an exclusive interview in April with NJ Advance Media.
“I think Ace is the most versatile player in the draft,” Pikiell said. “I think he can play the 1,2, 3, and 4 at the NBA level. He’s young. I mean, he’s got a 40-inch vertical. He’s exciting.”
He added: “If you want the most versatile guy in the draft, that’s Ace Bailey. He could play four positions in time, maybe even a fifth, and he’s still growing, too, so tremendous.”
At the time, Pikiell said he “absolutely” thought that Harper or Bailey could go No. 1 over Duke phenom Cooper Flagg.
Of course, the Dallas Mavericks last week accidentally leaked their intentions to take the 6′9′' Flagg No. 1 overall.
Bailey is represented by Omar Cooper -- the father of former Auburn guard Sharife Cooper and former WNBA player Te’a Cooper -- who runs his own sports agency, LifeStyle Sports.
Where Bailey lands on June 25 will be one of the most fascinating storylines of this draft.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter and Basketball Insider for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.