Former Rutgers forward Ace Bailey side-stepped questions on Tuesday about reportedly turning down several workout requests ahead of the draft.

Asked on Tuesday how hard it has been to see the varying draft projections, Bailey fell back on his usual response of the day: “Ain’t focused on that,” he said. “I’m focused on the basketball part. I’m just hooping every day, getting better as a person and then better at my game on the court.”

Labels from prima donna to pariah are pushing doubt to the forefront and raising the likelihood teams could pass on Ace Bailey, the Rutgers small forward who had been considered a virtual lock to be selected with one of the top three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday.