Potential 76ers Draft Target Compared to Former NBA Champion

In a few weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers will be on the clock with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As they continue their research of who to select, one of the prospects they've been most connected to received an interesting player comparison.

Since moving up a couple of spots in the lottery, one prospect that has been debated on constantly for the Sixers is Ace Bailey. The Rutgers forward has arguably one of the highest ceilings of any player in the incoming class but is viewed as a long-term project. This has made him a polarizing target for the Sixers due to the fact that they'll be looking to get back in the hunt in the Eastern Conference next season.

As draft night slowly gets closer, Jeremy Woo of ESPN did a breakdown of player comparisons for all the prospects expected to go in the lottery. When it came to Bailey, his "low end" was former champion and current Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins.

Bailey is the draft's most dynamic shotmaker, a skill that makes plain his significant scoring potential. The major long-term question is how he'll harness it, with the rest of Bailey's skill set still developing. He has the size to rise and shoot over most defenders, a knack for making off-balance shots, and a stroke that projects well catching and shooting from range.

Given his career arc, Wiggins being a comp for Bailey could be viewed as a positive or negative. During his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was dubbed as a player who put up good numbers on a bad team. However, upon being put in a more positive situation, he proved he can contribute to winning in a variety of ways. Though it was only for one year, Wiggins was an All-Star for the Golden State Warriors and was a major X-factor during their title run in 2022.

As a jumbo-sized wing who has a nice shooting touch, Bailey is an extremely intriguing prospect for the modern NBA. Only time will tell if the Sixers decide to take a chance and roll the dice on his beaming upside.