The Rutgers basketball team had two potential top-3 picks on the roster, yet still failed to make the NCAA Tournament—an undeniably disappointing season. With the year now over, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have been going through the pre-draft process. Harper has been impressive, while Bailey’s draft stock appears to be slipping fast.
“They are not pursuing trades from what we're hearing. They think that they can play Harper together with Steph Castle and De'Aaron Fox in the same backcourt,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony said.
Bailey had a solid season when healthy, often stepping up even without Harper on the court. When they did play together, they formed a strong duo—one that might have accomplished much more if not for injuries.
During the pre-draft process, Bailey has faced criticism, with some questioning his attitude and team-first mentality. Analyst Fran Fraschilla came to his defense.
“The nonsense about the RutgersMBB freshman not being a team player or one dimensional earlier in the season is laughable,” Fraschilla posted.
Bailey has dreamed his whole life of hearing his name called on draft night, but that dream is now under threat. His agent appears to be giving questionable advice.
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“Bailey's predraft workout strategy has perplexed some observers, as he has yet to conduct a single known workout to date, having declined invitations from several teams within his draft range. Sources say Bailey's camp has informed interested teams that they believe he is a top-3 player in the draft, but also seeks a clear pathway to stardom, perhaps feeling comfortable that a team will trade up to get him at Nos. 3 or 4, should he drop,” Givony wrote.
His camp is clearly mishandling the situation. No team wants to deal with a player perceived as stubborn, regardless of talent. Bailey is a great prospect, but if his representation continues down this path, his draft stock will only continue to fall.