The most controversial rookie of 2025 shines in his first NBA preseason game

Rookie Ace Bailey could not have imagined a better debut in the NBA. In his first preseason game with the Utah Jazz, the young forward not only showed why he was chosen with the 5th pick in the 2025 draft, but he also did it by facing none other than his idol, Kevin Durant, and the Houston Rockets.

Listed officially at 2.03 meters as a shooting guard or 2.08 as a forward, Bailey started the game in the starting five alongside Keyonte George in the backcourt. From the first possession, he showed confidence: he came off a screen by Jusuf Nurkic, stopped at the free-throw line, and sank his first shot with a rookie's unnatural ease.

The Rutgers youngster took some time to score again, but when he did, the show began. In the second quarter, he elegantly spun past his defender to hit a mid-range jumper. Smooth. Shortly after, he came off a pin-down screen by Nurkic to repeat the feat. Smooth once more. Then, coach Will Hardy displayed his creativity on the whiteboard. While Bailey pretended to set a staggered screen with Nurkic, he took advantage of the defensive confusion to cut toward the rim and delivered a clean, powerful dunk that got the crowd on their feet.

The second half was an exhibition. Bailey scored after grabbing his own offensive rebound, hit his first corner triple after an assist from Taylor Hendricks—who was returning from a severe leg injury—, and even stole a pass from Durant to launch a transition three from the top of the arc. In the next play, he intercepted another pass intended for Alperen Sengun and this time decided to take it all the way for a speeding layup.

Entering the fourth quarter, with Houston's starters resting, Bailey still maintained the intensity. In one of the flashiest plays of the game, he received the ball in the corner, attacked the baseline, and finished with an acrobatic layup that got the entire Utah bench up.

But his contribution wasn't limited to offense. He also assisted Cody Williams—the tenth pick of the 2024 draft—on his only basket of the night, in addition to finding Nurkic with a precise pass in the paint and feeding Brice Sensabaugh coming out of a double-team in the post. The final stat line was an outstanding 25 points (11/16 shooting, 2/5 from three), six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block.

Redemption in the Face of Criticism

Bailey's debut also served as a direct response to the doubts that had arisen during the pre-draft process. Many analysts questioned his shot selection, especially his preference for mid-range jumpers. He was criticized for "settling" for those shots instead of attacking the rim more frequently, an observation that—partially—held true during the early months of his college career at Rutgers.

However, just like what happened with Cooper Flagg at Duke, Bailey evolved throughout the season, improving his aggressiveness and adding dimensions to his game. He also sought to involve his teammates more, demonstrating a real predisposition to team play, a fact that many of his detractors overlooked.

The reality is that mid-range shots remain a crucial weapon in the modern NBA. In a league where defenses try to push shooters off the three-point line and increasingly resort to hybrid zones, having players capable of scoring from that range has become essential. The "zone busters"—those who excel in that area of the court—are becoming more valuable. Bailey, with his length, shooting touch, and body control, fits perfectly into that profile.

Beyond technical analysis, the debut confirmed what scouts had been hinting at: Ace Bailey possesses elite potential. With his size, versatility, and ability to score at all levels, he is a complete player in the making. He still needs to refine aspects—like his ball-handling or initial explosiveness—but his offensive fundamentals and balance inevitably evoke comparisons with Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, or Jayson Tatum.

Perhaps the Jazz had all this in mind when they decided to bet on him in the draft, snatching him from the Washington Wizards. If that was the plan, the gamble seems justified: in his first real test, Bailey exceeded all expectations, combining maturity, confidence, and talent in equal measure.

The future will determine if this debut was just a spark or the beginning of a bigger flame. But what's clear is that Utah may have found its next star—and Ace Bailey has just announced his arrival in the NBA with a performance to remember.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El rookie más polémico de 2025 se sale en su primer partido de pretemporada NBA