We are finally nearing the 2025 NBA Draft, with 48 hours and change before NBA Commissioner Adam Silver takes the stage at Barclays Center and begins ushering in a new class of NBA players. The Sixers remain at No. 3 overall on the board, and they are just two days from cementing a young player as a franchise cornerstone.
There is a clear favorite at this juncture, but nothing has been guaranteed. A look at what national experts are saying in another mock draft roundup...
ESPN: VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Expert Jonathan Givony reported in ESPN's latest mock draft, unveiled on Monday morning, that Edgecombe "appears in pole position" to be the Sixers' selection at No. 3, especially in light of Ace Bailey cancelling his workout with the team at the last minute. Givony also added some new reporting about Edgecombe's meeting with the Sixers earlier this month:
"While sources say Edgecombe appeared nervous during his private workout in Philadelphia and did not shoot the ball particularly well in an unnatural one-on-one setting, he made a strong impression in interviews and meetings, something the front office values more highly." [ESPN]
Ultimately, these pre-draft meetings are about getting to know players on a personal level. Having someone work out in your building is nice, but teams have seen more than enough film to know how athletic and skilled prospects are at this stage of the process. Evaluating their mental makeup is the real challenge this time of year.
GET TO KNOW VJ EDGECOMBE
What the scouts say | What the numbers say
Bleacher Report: VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Jonathan Wasserman had been projecting Bailey here for a while, but has also now made the switch to Edgecombe, with Bailey going one spot later. He writes about Edgecombe's fit with the Sixers:
"Rival teams think the Sixers could be more drawn to Edgecombe's athleticism and superior analytics, as well as his encouraging shooting development. He averaged the same number of three-point makes as Bailey, who was supposed to be much further ahead in that department." [Bleacher Report]
While he is not as talented of a shot-maker as Bailey, Edgecombe does seem to have a solid baseline as a shooter, which should prevent him from being unable to fit in with the Sixers. Edgecombe continuing to improve from beyond the arc would be stellar for his development, of course, but the bigger question is whether or not he will make a leap as a ball-handler to become a more reliable on-ball scorer.
CBS Sports: Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
But the Bailey noise still remains, and Colin Ward-Henninger makes the case that the Sixers should still take the player many believe to be the third-most talented in the class – even if they have to figure out how it all fits later:
"It's weird that Bailey hasn't worked out for anyone, but the 76ers have to think in terms of not only what this pick can do for them right now, but also how he might be viewed by other teams in terms of trade value... [Bailey] could also be viewed as the centerpiece of a trade for another win-now player down the road." [CBS Sports]
Taking Bailey for the sake of hopefully flipping him in a distant trade might not be advisable. But not picking him because he called off a workout would be equally irrational. If the Sixers believe Edgecombe is a better prospect than Bailey with a stronger chance of thriving as a member of the Sixers, they should take Edgecombe. But if they think Bailey is better, they should not be intimidated by his bizarre pre-draft process.
GET TO KNOW ACE BAILEY
What the scouts say | What the numbers say
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