NEW YORK — Ace Bailey fidgeted with a red yo-yo, catching the eyes of members of a media horde that pressed the former Rutgers star to flash some tricks. Dylan Harper, his former teammate and fellow likely NBA lottery pick, hovered nearby and said Bailey had indeed mastered yo-yo staples such as walk the dog and the gravity pull.

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.”