Mar 9, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) and Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Sixers Labeled as Top Potential Landing Spot for Rutgers Star

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 8:31 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft is around the corner, and the Philadelphia 76ers are in the lottery for the first time in a long time. While they could still lose their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, depending on how the lottery plays out, they have realistic odds of landing in the top five.

If the Sixers somehow find better luck than expected, they could be in play for one of the two Rutgers superstars. Recently, NBA Draft on SI considered the Sixers to be one of best landing spots for the incoming rookie, Ace Bailey.

Benefits for Bailey

“The Sixers have a higher chance of landing a top-three pick than everyone thought coming into the season. And Bailey would fit like an essential glove in their core. The team has play-makers in Embiid, Maxey and even last year’s rookie in Jared McCain, so Bailey would be fire up plenty of shots off-ball.

"Even more, Philadelphia signed on George in the offseason for essentially that exact role, so Bailey would be able to learn on the wing from a longtime great.”

The Paul George experience obviously hasn’t gone great for the Sixers. After all, they ended up with high top-five pick odds after believing they were championship-bound in 2024-2025.

But the Sixers are confident they’ll get back on track with good health for players like George and Embiid. Any potential top-six addition would benefit from playing alongside a core trio that has a combined 17 All-Star nods, but Bailey is certainly a big name that has NBA teams excited beyond the consensus top pick, Cooper Flagg, out of Duke.

Bailey will be 19 when he fires up his NBA career. The former No. 2 recruit in the nation just wrapped up a 30-game run in college. Seeing the court for 33 minutes per game, Bailey posted averages of 18 points, seven rebounds, and one assist per game. From the field, he averaged 46 percent of his shots and knocked down 35 percent of his threes.

If the Sixers land beyond the top three, getting Bailey without moving up would be unlikely. While every draft involves some shocking selections, Bailey has been a consensus top-three pick since the start of his freshman year at Rutgers. The chance of him landing in Utah, Washington, Charlotte, or even New Orleans is high, but the Sixers can’t be counted out entirely.