Utah Jazz makes peace with its rookie, the next big star in the NBA?

The Utah Jazz breathe a sigh of relief. And, above all, they are excited. Although Ace Bailey was projected to be picked within the top two selections at the 2025 NBA Draft, he ultimately fell to the fifth spot, where the franchise did not hesitate for a moment to include him in their project. Today, almost a month and a half after his debut in the NBA, in Salt Lake City, they are convinced that the unexpected draft gift could become a fundamental pillar of their reconstruction.

According to Brian Windhorst, the internal enthusiasm for Bailey is unanimous: "I spent some time with the Jazz people this week in Los Angeles. They were excited about Ace Bailey, top to bottom. They praised his basketball intelligence. They said he is just beginning to work on his physicality. They haven't really done much about it. They are convinced of the great luck they had to get him at the fifth spot."

The scenario that led Bailey to drop in the draft order was not coincidental. According to previous information, his former agent preferred him to end up with the Washington Wizards, which added uncertainty regarding his availability to other teams. Even so, the Jazz did not hesitate to bet on his talent, even knowing that initially it was not his preferred destination.

Windhorst also recalled how the lottery night was experienced internally: "Last year they failed and then were heavily criticized when they had a horrible lottery night. They were very happy that he fell. They consider themselves lucky."

First steps as a rookie

At 19 years old, Bailey is making a promising start within Utah's rotation. In 14 games with the franchise, he averages 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 20.3 minutes, solid numbers for a player who is still adapting to the physical and mental demands of the league.

His selection came after the most anticipated names of the draft class: Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and Kon Knueppel. But in Utah, they are convinced that, with time and development, Bailey can match—or even surpass—the impact of several players selected before him.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Utah Jazz hace las paces con su rookie, ¿la próxima gran estrella de la NBA?