The Washington Wizards finished with an 18-64 record during the 2024-25 season, and it was the worst record in the NBA. Washington fans were outraged when they didn't get the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and it went to the Dallas Mavericks instead.
There is no doubt that Wizards fans wanted to see them have a franchise-altering player like Cooper Flagg on their team, but there could be a chance that Washington winds up with one after all. They will have the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft has Ace Bailey falling to the Wizards at No. 6
The consensus before the start of the 2024-25 college basketball season was that Cooper Flagg of the Duke Blue Devils, Ace Bailey of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and Dylan Harper of Rutgers were going to be the top three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. It is a foregone conclusion that Flagg will go number one and Harper will still likely go number two, but it will be interesting after that.
Some think that Bailey could go number three to the Philadelphia 76ers, but there is a chance that he could slip in the 2025 NBA Draft. In the latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft, Bailey is slipping to the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and being selected by the Wizards. This would come as a major shock to many people, including Washington fans.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN said this in his write-up: "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.
"Some teams question whether Bailey has received assurances of being selected by a team currently outside the top 5, to a situation deemed more advantageous from a geographic and playing time perspective."
"Bailey is scheduled to conduct a workout with the 76ers later this week, but it's unclear if he plans to visit any other teams at this stage. Should the Sixers pass on him, he could very well slide to the No. 6 or No. 7 picks, two teams in Washington and New Orleans that are said to be highly intrigued with the 18-year-old's talent. And both are situations in which there appear to be plenty of minutes and shots to be had."
The Wizards fanbase would be ecstatic if Bailey slipped to the sixth overall. Washington is currently in a rebuild, and they need to continue to draft and develop properly. During the 2024-25 season with Rutgers, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, along with shooting 46.0 percent from the field. He is 6-foot-10 and weighs 200 pounds.
If Bailey doesn't land with Washington, it will be interesting to see which direction the Wizards head in. Is there a chance they could reach on center Derek Queen from the Maryland Terrapins with the sixth overall pick, considering the fact he played in the DMV area? It remains to be seen, but the Wizards drafting Bailey potentially would be a home run for them.