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May 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of center court with the Philadelphia 76ers logo before game six of the 2023 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Former NBA Star Warns Sixers Before Massive Draft Decision

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 6:39 PM ET

When the Philadelphia 76ers landed the third-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, it was clear they weren’t going to be in a position to land Cooper Flagg out of Duke. At No. 3, the Sixers were linked to the Rutgers duo of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.

Since the San Antonio Spurs have a loaded backcourt, it seemed maybe there was a slight chance the Spurs would take Bailey over Harper. At this point, it’s clear that San Antonio is ready to add Harper, no matter what their current situation is.

At first, it seemed the Sixers would inevitably take Bailey, unless they trade out of the third pick. While it’s been reported that the Sixers are likely to stay where they are in the draft, Bailey is no longer the consensus favorite in that spot, and his recent decision to cancel a pre-draft meeting in Philadelphia probably won’t help his case.

The seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson recently dished his thoughts on Bailey’s decision to skip the Sixers’ plans.

“For me, I would tell him, at least hear some of these teams out,” Johnson said on 'Night Cap' with Shannon Sharpe. “Maybe the first few teams that’s picking, maybe he don’t even wanna be drafted by them, you know what I mean?”

Bailey’s decision to mysteriously cancel on the Sixers certainly wasn’t a great look. The fact that he has yet to hold a pre-draft visit with a team, with the big event just a few days away, has led to a lot of criticism for the young incoming rookie.

While Johnson believes Bailey should’ve at least given some teams like the Sixers a shot to spend some time with him before the draft, the former hooper doesn’t believe the lack of meetings should affect Bailey’s draft stock too much.

“When I got a chance to see Ace Bailey play in high school and in college, [I thought] he is going to be an elite pro,” said Johnson. “Maybe he knows and understands that. He probably knows and understands his worth, but there is a process that we all have to go through when we are trying to enter the NBA Draft. I’m not sure what his agent is telling him or what they are thinking.”

Reports have suggested that the Sixers haven’t totally soured on Bailey, although he doesn’t seem to be the favorite at this time. If Daryl Morey and the Sixers finalize their big board, and Bailey comes out on top after Flagg and Harper, then he’s likely to be the pick.

Right now, it seems VJ Edgecombe might be near the top of the board. While Johnson didn’t say anything to knock that thinking specifically, he suggested that passing up on Bailey would be something the Sixers would “probably regret.”

“If I’m Philly, man, it’s going to be hard to pass him up,” Johnson finished. “That man got a whole lot of game, man. I could see him fitting in seamlessly with Tyrese [Maxey], [Joel] Embiid, and even Paul George. And they got some great young pieces too over there already. He can flat out score that ball, man. Philly dealt with a lot of injuries, but add him to that, that’s a good look. He can play.”