Ace Bailey Lost 2.5 Inches Of Height and Projected $20M Overnight: After Shedeur Sanders Drop, Rutgers Star Facing Similar NBA Draft Fate

Some mock drafts had Rutgers’ Ace Bailey as top 3 pick in Wednesday’s 2025 NBA Draft. After leading a mid-Rutgers team to a 15-17 record, Bailey has had several hiccups as he leads up to the draft.

Ace Bailey speaks during a Media Availability session prior to the 2025 NBA Draft at Lotte New York Palace on June 24, 2025 in New York City. Rumors about a potential draft drop haven’t hurt his spirits. (Getty Images).

The Athletic’s NBA insider Sam Vecenie reported that “sources” describe Bailey as “a bit immature” and noted that the 6-foot-8 small forward has “struggled with focus.”

“His pre-draft interviews with teams at the NBA Draft Combine did not go particularly well, as it seemed like he went into them a bit ill-prepared for what was being asked of him, according to sources,” Vecenie noted.

Height Discrepancies, Reports Of Poor Interview Has Ace Bailey Sliding In NBA Draft

Bailey’s height as also become an issue. While Rutgers had Bailey listed at 6′ 10″, he measured just 6′ 7 1/2″ at the draft combine. In addition, ESPN reported that he appeared “unpolished” in team interviews. It’s never good when anonymous sources start feeding negative information about your draft interviews to the press. Just ask Shedeur Sanders. When information like that emerges in such a fashion, you can almost book it that the athlete will drop below their expected spot in the draft.

Why Did Ace Bailey Cancel Interview With Philadelphia Sixers Holding No 3 Overall Pick?

Rumors of his poor interviewing was probably why his Bailey’s camp canceled an interview with the Philadelphia 76ers last week, making Bailey the only U.S.-born player to not visit any teams.

That was also an interesting move by Bailey considering he seemed like a possible option for the 76ers at No. 3. It’s been suggested that he wants to avoid going to any of the weaker teams in the league.

It’s never good to have too many questions swirling around about your character or dedication or physical capabilities.

There were already reportedly some concerns about his maturity and on-court decision-making. Now, it appears that his agent is dropping the ball on the pre-draft process. All indications are that he wants to steer where he gets drafted, with Washington, Brooklyn and Atlanta in the mix.

He’s got some brass knuckles, coming in at almost three inches shorter than projected and trying to dictate his destination. From all accounts though, it’s backfiring and the draft slide is real.

Ace Bailey Could Drop To New Orleans Pelicans At No. 7

You take the height discrepancy and combine that with the athletic, 6-foot-8 forward’s decision to decline workouts with several teams and most experts are predicting a drop out of the top three. Some drafts have him going as low as No. 7 to the New Orleans Pelicans. Not too long ago they were calling him a can’t miss prospect. According to reports, Bailey stands to lose around $20M drooping from a top 3 pick, out of the top 5.

A Chattanooga, Tennessee, native, Bailey began his high school career at Boyd-Buchanan School before transferring to McEachern High School in Georgia. He elevated to another level in his senior season, averaging 32.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 blocks per game.

Ace Bailey’s Saving Grace

Bailey was projected to be a mouth-watering, nearly 7-foot wing reminiscent of Kevin Durant. But at 6’7.5″, the height is not as impressive and isn’t seen as much of an advantage when defending or finishing over longer players.

Bailey’s saving grace is his incredible wingspan, measured at 7 feet, 0.5 inches, and his standing reach was an elite 8 feet, 11 inches. Such gaudy physical attributes will make up for the lack of height and allow him to excel at the next level.

Bailey is capable of stretching defenses (five January games with at least four made 3-pointers) and he has the tools to develop defensively in a system that promotes that style of play. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. If he drops to the Pelicans, they would be happy to bring in another versatile big to replace the sting of Zion Williamson’s shortcomings and off the court lunacy.

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