Ace Bailey, a promising young basketball talent, was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the fifth pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, but his reaction may surprise you.
The 18-year-old out of Rutgers has been dubbed the best scoring prospect in this year’s draft, and has tremendous upside potential as a future star in the NBA.
However, in the lead-up to the draft, Bailey made clear that he did not want the Jazz to pick him. He declined a pre-draft workout with Utah, an unconventional move. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported that Utah was “not one of his preferred destinations”.
But Utah was where he ended up, and Bailey’s disappointment was written all over his face for everybody to see.
Fans react to Ace Bailey’s response to being drafted by the Utah Jazz
Bailey was visibly upset when his name was called at number five. The typical draft day elation seen by almost every player was instead replaced by a look of dread on the Tennessee native’s face.
One NBA fan wrote on X “Ace Bailey looks like he’s about to cry after being drafted by the Jazz.” Another added, “This is supposed to be the happiest day of Ace Bailey’s life, but he’s SICK he got drafted to Utah.”
Other fans pointed out that Bailey’s pre-draft attitude made no difference to his draft day outcome, meaning he took a reputational hit only to end up where he did not want to go.
“Ace Bailey did all that politicking just to get sent to Utah for 7 years,” said one fan.
“Moral of the Ace Bailey story: you can’t throw your weight around and dictate where you go unless you are a generational talent,” said another.
Jazz General Manager Danny Ainge, a Celtics legend who helped Boston become the NBA’s most successful franchise as a player, called Bailey’s bluff. This decision says loudly that Ainge cares little for Bailey’s preference, and he believes that no matter where he suits up, his talent will shine through.
Fans took notice of Ainge’s response to Bailey’s hesitance to join the Jazz.
“The Utah Jazz drafted Ace Bailey even though he made it clear he didn’t want to be there. Danny Ainge still a MENACE.”
Another fan added: “A lot of these kids are getting bad advice. Now you just got drafted by Danny Ainge. He doesn’t care what you think.”
Danny Bailey represents high upside for Utah Jazz roster in need of talent
Okay, Bailey doesn’t want to be a Jazz player, but since many mock drafts had him taken at number three by the Philadelphia 76ers, this pick represents brilliant value for Utah.
The Jazz need an X-Factor player on their team to lift them from the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Bailey is capable of jaw-dropping plays, especially when he finds the open floor at speed.
His shot-making is elite and he goes on explosive scoring bursts. To reach the next level, he needs to find some level of consistency and develop his general feel for the game.
Some NBA Draft stars don’t reach their potential, but if he shows a willingness to work off the ball and an ability to make plays for others on offence, the sky is the limit.
He’s a developmental prospect for the Jazz, but one with a high ceiling. While there was talent in this NBA Draft, Utah were never going to get a home run prospect like Cooper Flagg at number five, so Bailey is a gift from the heavens.
Should he get over his pre-draft unwillingness to play in Utah, he could be one of the more exciting stories to watch this NBA season.