{"id":43789,"date":"2025-05-19T20:50:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T20:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/43789\/"},"modified":"2025-05-19T20:50:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T20:50:10","slug":"is-rutgers-ace-bailey-a-no-brainer-pick-at-no-3-for-the-sixers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/43789\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Rutgers\u2019 Ace Bailey a no-brainer pick at No. 3 for the Sixers?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sixers<\/a> are slated to pick third in the 2025 NBA Draft<\/a>, with a very real chance of landing a player who, for much of the cycle, was considered the consensus No. 3 prospect: Ace Bailey. But unlike most top-three picks, Bailey has sparked a wide range of opinions, becoming one of the more polarizing names in this class. Like many elite prospects, his profile comes with a mix of eye-popping talent and legitimate red flags.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia has long searched for a long-term answer at the shot-creating forward spot \u2014 arguably since the days of Julius Erving. With Bailey projected to be available at No. 3, it raises the question: Is Ace Bailey the no-brainer pick for the Sixers?<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into his strengths, weaknesses and how he could fit with Philly\u2019s current core.<\/p>\n

Strengths <\/p>\n

Despite not measuring in at his widely reported height of 6-foot-10, Ace Bailey still boasts an impressive frame. Official measurements have him closer to 6-foot-7 without shoes (likely around 6-foot-9 in them), and his length and athletic build provide a strong foundation for continued physical development. His long strides allow him to cover ground quickly, and when combined with his leaping ability and foot speed, he projects as a difficult matchup \u2014 especially if his ball-handling continues to improve (more on that later).<\/p>\n

Offensively, Bailey might have the most exciting flashes of anyone in the 2025 draft class. He can shoot over contests with a high release point and soft touch. On paper, he has all the tools for a versatile scoring profile: three-point shooting (34.6% from deep on 4.5 attempts per game), a midrange post-up game, quick one- or two-dribble pull-ups in isolation, and he excels in transition. He also has solid footwork for his size and regularly uses it to his advantage in the midrange. While he hasn\u2019t done much of it at the college level, Bailey has flashed potential as a movement shooter, showing the ability to come off screens and knock down shots on the move.<\/p>\n

Few players in this class can heat up like Bailey. He\u2019s a true microwave scorer \u2014 when he gets rolling, he stays hot. The numbers back that up: he had eight games with nine or more made field goals and dropped 30+ points three times during his lone season at Rutgers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the defensive end, Bailey\u2019s physical tools suggest strong upside. He\u2019s shown promise as a help defender, using his length, instincts and bounce to disrupt plays at the rim. He averaged 1.3 blocks per game and has a real knack for coming over from the weak side to alter shots or swat attempts. While his on-ball defense has been inconsistent, he\u2019s flashed potential as a switchable defender who can hold his ground using his length to wall up in the post. His quick hands and anticipation skills are encouraging, especially when projecting him as a help defender who can jump passing lanes.<\/p>\n

Outside of scoring, Bailey stands out most as a rebounder. He averaged a strong 7.2 rebounds per game, including 5.1 on the defensive glass \u2014 a valuable asset for teams looking to play uptempo. He also has a nose for put-back dunks and second-chance opportunities, which adds value to his overall offensive game.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth noting that Bailey is one of the youngest players in the draft and still managed to post solid production despite being in a less-than-ideal environment at Rutgers. That context matters. He wasn\u2019t always put in a position to succeed, yet he found ways to shine.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses <\/p>\n

Bailey\u2019s shot creation off the dribble is still a work in progress. He isn\u2019t particularly shifty and currently has an average handle at best, especially on the perimeter. For a player with his athletic tools, he doesn\u2019t get to the rim as often as you\u2019d expect. When he does look to slash, the ball tends to slow him down \u2014 even on straight-line drives. This lack of consistent paint penetration often results in him settling for tough jumpers and relying heavily on his physical gifts to hit contested shots.<\/p>\n

His drives can be a bit predictable, and when defenders cut him off going right, he often defaults to drifting pull-ups rather than resetting or finding another angle. As a passer, the numbers don\u2019t flatter him \u2014 just 0.8 assists per game and only six outings with more than two assists. While his vision is slightly better than those stats suggest, he tends to get tunnel vision. When the ball was in his hands, a shot almost always came after.<\/p>\n

Turnovers are another area for improvement. He can be loose with the ball and struggled at times when pressured with traps or hard double-teams. His overall feel for the game \u2014 both on offense and defense \u2014 is still developing. Defensively, he can sometimes play too aggressively, jumping passing lanes or gambling for steals and ending up out of position. His technique isn\u2019t always sound on a possession-to-possession basis, and he\u2019ll occasionally stand too upright, which lets slashers get downhill and into his chest \u2014 neutralizing his shot-blocking presence and drawing fouls. He averaged 2.8 fouls per game and fouled out twice.<\/p>\n

Physically, Bailey will need to add muscle to better absorb contact and handle the physicality of the NBA. He raised eyebrows at the combine when he measured noticeably shorter than his listed height at Rutgers \u2014 a small detail, but a relevant one for a player who relies so heavily on hitting contested shots.<\/p>\n

Bailey plays hard and competes on both ends, but he\u2019ll need to keep his emotions in check. He was assessed three technical fouls this past season \u2014 a relatively high number for a college player \u2014 and that\u2019s something he\u2019ll have to clean up at the next level.<\/p>\n

Potential Fit in Philly <\/p>\n

Bailey would benefit greatly from playing alongside established offensive talent, where he could focus on the things he already does well \u2014 shooting, rebounding, and help defense \u2014 rather than being forced into a high-usage role. Assuming the Sixers\u2019 core stays healthy next season, Philadelphia would offer the kind of environment where Bailey could thrive without being overextended early.<\/p>\n

The Sixers have been searching for a long-term solution at forward for years, and while Paul George fills that role in the short term, Bailey could be the long-term answer. He\u2019d fit in well next to George and Joel Embiid, offering upside without the immediate pressure to carry an offense.<\/p>\n

Scoring will always be the headline with Bailey, but he checks a lot of boxes the Sixers are rumored to prioritize \u2014 rebounding, pushing the pace, and playing in transition. In year one, surrounded by veteran talent, he might not have the chance to showcase his full scoring repertoire, but that might actually be a good thing for his long-term growth.<\/p>\n

With a crowded backcourt that includes Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes, the Sixers will need to balance the roster with length and size on the wings. Bailey brings both in spades. All in all, the fit between Bailey and the projected Sixers roster looks promising \u2014 for now and for the future.<\/p>\n

Draft Projection<\/p>\n

SB Nation mock draft<\/a>: No. 7, New Orleans Pelicans <\/p>\n

In this mock, Bailey slides all the way to No. 7, where the Pelicans would happily scoop him up. They need all the shooting they can get next to Zion Williamson (assuming he\u2019s still on the roster), and Bailey would fit nicely alongside Trey Murphy, giving New Orleans two long, athletic wings who can light it up from deep.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be hard-pressed to find another projected top pick with a wider range than Bailey. Some mocks have him going as high as No. 3, while others drop him into the late lottery. Realistically, if the Sixers pass on him at three, it\u2019s hard to see him slipping past five, where a team like the Jazz, starved for upside and talent, would have a tough time saying no.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Sixers are slated to pick third in the 2025 NBA Draft, with a very real chance of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43790,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3769],"tags":[679,101,241,10543,2269,10544,100,7,12090,95,28,1093,99,6,1394,678,207,3817,745,731,96,64],"class_list":{"0":"post-43789","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia-76ers","8":"tag-76ers","9":"tag-76ers-draft-rumors-news","10":"tag-a","11":"tag-ace","12":"tag-at","13":"tag-bailey","14":"tag-ballers","15":"tag-basketball","16":"tag-brainer","17":"tag-for","18":"tag-front-page","19":"tag-is","20":"tag-liberty","21":"tag-nba","22":"tag-no","23":"tag-philadelphia","24":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","25":"tag-philadelphia76ers","26":"tag-pick","27":"tag-rutgers","28":"tag-sixers","29":"tag-the"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/114536475837021028","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43789\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}