Utah Jazz First round Fifth General Design -Pick Ace Bailey poses during the Utah Jazz Player Introduction Press Conference, Sunday 29 June 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Salt Lake City – Utah was not considered one of the preferred destinations of Ace Bailey to start his NBA career. Nevertheless, Bailey indicated on Sunday that he had never thought of having an exchange or forcing after the jazz had drafted him in general No. 5.
Bailey reported to Utah after he was criticized because of his approach to the pre-Draft process, in which he refused to exercise for teams interested in him. When asked during his introductory press conference whether he was not considering coming to Salt Lake City, he only expressed enthusiasm because he was at jazz.
Read: 2025 NBA Draft: Full list of picks in the first round
“Just blessed to be in the position I am,” said Bailey.
Before the design, Bailey canceled a planned training with Philadelphia and refused invitations from Charlotte and Utah to train for them.
That did not prevent the jazz from using their lottery choice on him. Utah is guessing that the 18-year-old will unlock his potential and bloom in a productive scorer.
Participate in Bailey in Utah are no. 18 Pick Walter Clayton Jr. And no. 53 Pick John Tonje, two other scorers at a high level.
“This is a dream scenario for us,” said Jazz President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge. “These are boys that we have focused before the design with a high potential and a high character, and we could no longer be excited.”
Read: Cooper Flagg selected by Mavericks as number 1 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Ainge believes that all three of the Rookies are multidimensional players who can influence the defense.
“These guys can play at both ends,” said Ainge. “We are looking for the best combination of all the skills we can. But yes, these guys can put the ball in the hole.”
Mock concepts had Bailey as consensus top-three pick before he slid to jazz. The 6-foot-8 attacker has a versatile attacking game. At Rutgers, Bailey showed that he can shoot the dribble, take stepback jumpers and attack the paint.
He on average 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in his only season with the Scarlet Knights. Bailey supplemented his inside game by stretching the defense with its reach and shooting 34.6% from outside the arch.
“I have great energy,” said Bailey. “I can do anything, from withdrawing to defense to passing. So I can say that I can bring it a lot in different ways.”
Nevertheless, the concern about his scoring efficiency, ball handling, passing, defensive intensity and maturity that Bailey fell from the top three. He would like to prove that the jazz has made the right choice.
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“I trust my work,” said Bailey. “I (in) countless hours in the gym with everything I do. So I trust it. Everyone makes mistakes. God has not placed us here to be perfect. So I just trust myself and just trust my process.”
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