Ace Bailey Reportedly Cancels Visit with 76ers

Per a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Rutgers wing Ace Bailey has canceled his visit to the Philadelphia 76ers, who own the No. 3 pick at the 2025 NBA Draft.

With Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper as forgone conclusions to the Mavericks and Spurs, respectively, many believe the ’25 draft starts with No. 3. And there’s obvious conclusions drawn to Bailey, who’s long been ranked as the third-best prospect per various draft experts.

Having averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 46% overall and 35% from three, Bailey makes sense as a prospect with star potential. He stands at 6-foot-9 in shoes, and has dynamic athleticism that should see him thrive on both ends of the court.

It appears the 76ers, though, would need to swing on Bailey without a meeting.

Per Charania: “[Bailey] was slated to fly to Philadelphia on Friday for dinner with the team's front office and a private workout, but elected to cancel Wednesday,”

Bailey has reportedly perplexed several franchises, not meeting with a single organization so far. Per Charania, the 76ers haven’t ruled out just selected him at No. 3, as they scouted him extensively at Rutgers.

It wouldn't be the first time 76ers' General Manager Daryl Morey has gambled on a prospect without an official meeting. But there’s obvious barriers there as it stands now. It appears Bailey wants to play elsewhere to begin his NBA career, naturally gravitating towards teams with bigger runways slightly further down the board.

Bailey's a talented player, but there's no guarantee he'll be picked third, even if Philadelphia didn't value the in-person meeting. Players like VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson and plenty more have been hot on Bailey's heels for most of the class. And given his meeting strategy, it could see him slip down boards just days out from the 2025 draft.