Ace Bailey Sparked Headlines During the NBA Draft. Rumors swirled that Ace Bailey had a list of teams he didn’t want to be drafted by. One of which was the Utah Jazz. Still, that didn’t deter Utah from selecting him with the fifth overall pick. Now, Jazz head coach Will Hardy is focused on helping Bailey develop a solid routine as an NBA rookie, after the former Rutgers standout showed flashes of his potential in brief Summer League appearances.
“For Ace, first and foremost, it’s going to be about building a routine. The NBA is a lot. The number of appearances is far more than he’s used to—that’s practice, shootaround, games—but it’s going to be about him finding his routine, because I think the routine saves you during the season. You don’t have to think that much,” Hardy said.
“On the court, offensively, it’s going to be a little bit of playing without the ball, moving around. I think Ace showed he was really active in Summer League. He’s a good cutter. He can play in off-ball screens,” the Jazz coach added. “And then defensively, while his body is continuing to get stronger, it’s going to be about using his length, because I think that is a real strength of his right now. I think that’s how he can survive on the defensive end.”
Utah is in the midst of a major rebuilding process. As a result, the organization is hoping Ace Bailey can become their next franchise cornerstone.
Utah Jazz Hoping to Build Around Ace Bailey for the Future
His Potential
There’s a reason Ace Bailey was selected in the top five of the NBA Draft. He has the kind of potential that can alter the course of a franchise. During his lone season at Rutgers, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals per game, and shot 46.0 percent from the field. He also hit 34.6 percent from three-point range.
Bailey is a natural scorer who has no fear when it comes to creating his own opportunities. If he can polish the other facets of his game, he could end up being one of the biggest steals of this year’s draft class. As Will Hardy alluded to, he’s already shown signs of growth during his brief stints in the Summer League.
If Bailey can develop a routine that allows him to improve and flourish, then the Utah Jazz may have found their franchise player.
