The Utah Jazz chosen Rutgers wing Ace Bailey with the fifth general decide regardless of his representatives informing no less than one top-five group he would not report if drafted, in keeping with ESPN sources. The Utah Jazz chosen Bailey fifth general regardless of his refusal to work out for the group. Bailey’s pre-draft technique created vital intrigue within the run as much as the primary spherical of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday.
“I can management what I can management,” Bailey stated when requested about critics questioning his happiness with Utah. “They really feel how they really feel.”
Agent Omar Cooper defended Bailey’s pre-draft method as commonplace enterprise apply. Cooper famous that Bailey accomplished 18 group interviews and took part in a Chicago exercise attended by all NBA franchises.
“Each NBA group watched him work out in Chicago. Everybody acquired his medical. They watched him run and bounce. They acquired his measurements,” Cooper informed ESPN.
Rival groups believed Bailey’s camp most well-liked the Washington Wizards, who held the sixth general decide. Washington efficiently drafted Alex Sarr second general in 2024 after he averted exercises with the Atlanta Hawks, who had been deciding on at No. 1.
The Wizards possessed a really perfect roster match for Bailey’s wing expertise and scoring means. Nevertheless, Utah’s secretive draft plans below new president Austin Ainge caught rival groups off-guard.
Utah completed with the league’s worst report however fell to fifth within the draft lottery. The Jazz capitalized on Bailey’s availability at a place the place he wasn’t anticipated to stay.
“He is nice. We had been capable of communicate with him. He was tremendous excited. We’re tremendous excited,” Ainge stated Wednesday night time. “His scoring will get quite a lot of consideration, deservedly so. He is very expert for his measurement.”
Cooper declined to handle particular questions relating to Bailey’s future relationship with the Jazz group.
