Ace Bailey, the wayward draft star who only wanted to play for the Wizards and ended up in Utah

Representatives of Ace Bailey informed a franchise with a selection within the top 5 of the 2025 NBA Draft that they did not want them to pick the Rutgers player, and if they did, he would not show up, as reported by ESPN this Thursday. However, the Utah Jazz selected the forward with the 5th pick. He wanted a team to play every possession, he might find it in Salt Lake City, although he only wanted to go to the Wizards.

"I can control what I can control," Bailey said on Wednesday night after being selected. "People feel what they feel. My team and I are focused on basketball. They do their job, and this just happens."

Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, defended the handling of the process, ensuring that it was done within the usual parameters. "All teams saw him train in Chicago. He had 18 interviews, all teams received his medical exams, saw how he ran and jumped, and had his measurements," he explained to ESPN. "Nobody said anything when Davion Mitchell canceled with Toronto or when Evan Mobley didn't train with Cleveland and they still picked him."

Cooper avoided commenting on Utah or Bailey's future with the franchise.

During much of the year, Bailey was considered a top 3 Draft pick, and according to various teams, his circle pointed to a clear preference: the Washington Wizards, who had the 6th pick and the ideal roster profile for a player of his characteristics.

However, the movements of the Jazz—led by the new president of operations, Austin Ainge—were a mystery throughout the process. They finally chose Bailey, who fell to the 5th pick after the lottery draw, despite having the worst record in the league.

"It's great," Ainge said about Bailey after the selection. "We were able to talk to him, he was very excited. We are too. We look forward to a bright future. His scoring catches a lot of attention, rightfully so. But I was also impressed by his defensive effort and rebounding ability. Lots of blocks from the weak side and a lot of energy and joy for the game. Everyone who has been close to Ace appreciates him a lot."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Ace Bailey, la díscola estrella del draft que sólo quería jugar en los Wizards y acabó en Utah