2025 NBA Draft: Jazz draft Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey with No. 5 pick
The Utah Jazz drafted Rutgers freshman guard Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
The 18-year-old Bailey, who grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and played his high school basketball in Georgia, averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks in his only season with the Scarlet Knights.
Bailey joins a Jazz team that had the NBA's worst record at 17-65, and has missed the playoffs for three straight years. For now, the roster is intact, but the franchise could start trading assets, including forward John Collins, who averaged 19 points, 8.2 rebounds, two assists, and also exercised his $26.5 million player option for next season. Jazz general manager Justin Zanik has said he wants to open up a championship window soon, and with young pieces and tradeable assets that could come later rather than sooner.
What Ace Bailey brings to the table
Bailey has prototypical size for a wing in the NBA, but there have been questions about his maturity since he decided not to work out for teams, and reportedly put together a wish list of possible destinations. Other athletes have played this game by trying to steer teams away from taking them in the draft, but this entire point is moot if he becomes a star in the league.
Bailey’s game on the court starts with his shooting; he is not great from long distance, but can have an impact in the mid-range and score with the best of them. Shot selection is a concern, and his success will depend on how he is used. But he displays an array of shots to get his points, whether it’s floaters, catch-and-shoot off the break, or going to the rim.
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