Ace Bailey didn’t expect to hear his name called by the Utah Jazz with the No. 5 overall pick on Wednesday night in the 2025 NBA draft. Leading up to the event, Bailey’s decision to skip workouts with every NBA team led to speculation that he potentially already had a promise from a team.
Despite publicly expressing his desire to play for teams like the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, and Brooklyn Nets, the Jazz ended up selecting the Rutgers star. But there’s more to this story.
Ace Bailey’s Reps Urged A Lottery Team Not to Select Him
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Tim Bontemps reported Thursday that “Bailey’s representatives informed a team drafting inside the top five they didn’t want that team to select [him], and that he wouldn’t report if they did.”
Givony and Bontemps also reported that rival teams believed Bailey’s preferred team was the Wizards. Givony reported Wednesday that the Jazz were not on Bailey’s list.
It remains unclear if Utah was the team Bailey said he wouldn’t report to if selected. Bailey said after he was selected that it was out of his control, and he reportedly had “no idea” the Jazz were interested in drafting him.
“I can control what I can control,” Bailey said, when asked after being drafted what he’d say to people who didn’t believe he was happy with the Jazz. “They feel how they feel. “But my team and me, me focusing on basketball and them doing what they’re doing, so it happens.”
Utah’s Danny Ainge Said Bailey Was Super Excited
Danny Ainge, the Jazz’s president of basketball operations, reportedly indicated to Givony that he didn’t “give a damn” about whether the 18-year-old wanted to play in Utah.
However, Ainge also praised Ace Bailey after selecting him Wednesday night.
“We were able to speak with him. He was super excited,” he said. “We’re super excited. We’re expecting a very bright future. His scoring gets a lot of attention, [and] deservedly so. He’s very skilled for his size.
“But watching a lot of film on him, I was impressed with his defensive effort and particularly his rebounding. Lot of weakside block shots, and his joy and energy for the game. We do a lot of background calls and work on guys, and everyone loves being around Ace.”
Ace Bailey Was Projected To Be The No. 3 Overall Pick
In addition, Bailey was projected for most of the season to be a top-three pick in the draft, so he likely fell to No. 5 because he was the only American player who hadn’t conducted a single workout with a team.
Bailey, a 6-foot-10, 210-pound guard/forward, was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class. During his senior year of high school, he played in the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, and Nike Hoop Summit.
In 30 games (all starts) with Rutgers during his freshman season, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks, and 33.3 minutes per contest while shooting 46% from the field and 34.6% from 3-point range.
The Jazz also selected Florida star Walter Clayton Jr., who was taken by the Wizards with the No. 18 pick before being traded to Utah for Nos. 21 and 43 as well as second-round picks in 2031 and 2032.
