Does Ace Bailey Make Sense for Philadelphia at No. 3?

The 2025 NBA Draft is approaching rapidly, and while the top two spots are nearly unanimously decided, picks three through the end of the lottery are still a major mystery.

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the unenviable position of being the first team tasked with taking a non-surefire prospect. Many sources point to a selection of Rutgers' Ace Bailey, which of course assumes that Duke's Cooper Flagg and Bailey's teammate Dylan Harper go one and two, respectively.

Despite the majority of mocks having Bailey third overall, is he truly the best fit for the Sixers? The 6-foot-9 freshman had an up-and-down freshman season with the Scarlet Knights; the upside is obvious, but so are the flaws.

Philadelphia needs wing depth, specifically in the mold of a three-and-D small forward. Bailey fits the mold for these things (or at least has the potential to fit), but there are some serious hangups that scouts have with his game.

The primary problem for Bailey is his lack of handle and inability to play make. He had an atrocious assist-to-turnover ratio, and while the Sixers do have lead guard play with Tyrese Maxey, they still need more connective passing, which is something that Bailey does not provide at this juncture.

He provides no rim pressure, either, which makes spacing difficult. He takes a decent percentage of contested midrange jump shots, making his efficiency a question, especially at the next level, where his athleticism will not be the advantage it was in Big 10 play.

Even when talking about his athleticism, he was not the explosive player that people may have thought coming into the combine, where he measured at 34.5 inches on his vertical. His lack of versatility could also be an issue for Philadelphia, who badly need a dynamic wing scorer. Bailey could become that, but there are many question marks about his fit alongside the rest of the roster.

Of course, if they do not select Ace Bailey, who else would be an option? Many have mentioned Texas' Tre Johnson, as well as Duke's Kon Knueppel. Both can play the wing spot and are significantly more efficient scorers, though neither has the defensive tools that Bailey possesses.

In the end, Bailey will likely be the pick, but the organization will have to be patient with his development. He may not be a starting-level forward in his first or second season, but if things do pan out for him, he could be a very nice piece for a 76ers team that has young talent in the back court.