Ace Bailey draws eye-opening Anthony Edwards comparison before draft

With the NBA Draft order now set in place, many are wondering where certain prospects can land when their name is called. One player that is high on boards is Ace Bailey, who has shown that he can be a legit shot maker in the league. The Philadelphia 76ers have been rumored to be interested in him with the No. 3 pick, and he could make a good fit on a team that has a mix of veterans and young players.

Outside of his game, there have been questions about his personality, and he’s been compared to a specific player who is already in the league, according to ESPN.

“The feedback coming out of Chicago suggests Bailey is somewhat polarizing in internal front-office conversations because of questions about his feel for the game and ‘unpolished’ team interviews, which one NBA general manager compared to Anthony Edwards’ during the predraft process (Minnesota drafted him No. 1 in 2020). Bailey hasn’t come off as ‘buttoned up’ as some of his lottery peers but drew strong marks from a handful of executives who appreciated his candor and willingness to display his big personality,” ESPN wrote.

If teams appreciate Bailey’s personality, there’s no way that he drops in the draft because of it. At the same time, it’s hard to grab a real temperature of how teams feel about a player until closer to the draft.

Ace Bailey is a top prospect in the NBA Draft

Though Bailey is a top prospect in the draft, there are apparently still some questions about him on and off the floor. His game has been criticized when it comes to his decision-making on the floor, and how he was not able to lead Rutgers to the NCAA Tournament, despite the talent that they had on the team.

Despite his shortcomings, Bailey has still shown that he has the ability to make big plays, and he can help any team that decides to draft him. When asked about his collegiate career, Bailey spoke highly of what he was able to accomplish.

“I did good,” Bailey said via ESPN. “I could have done way better, but I matured this season. The game slowed down for me. My IQ got higher. I got faster and way stronger. My ballhandling and shooting tightened up. Rutgers had me guarding everyone from point guards to power forwards. I learned a lot.”