Ace Bailey's NBA Draft Journey: Surprising Turn of Events
Ace Bailey, who controversially chose not to showcase his skills before the NBA Draft, was ultimately selected by the Utah Jazz at the fifth pick. The path to this moment was as unpredictable as his decision-making.
Ace Bailey’s journey through the 2025 NBA Draft was as unpredictable as just that—a journey through uncertainty. Despite being one of the top talents, he opted out of pre-draft workouts with teams and surprisingly canceled his meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers, who had the third pick. Ultimately, the Jazz selected him fifth overall, despite his camp appearing to try and manipulate the situation to land him elsewhere.
While Bailey did not work out for Utah ahead of the draft, he seemed to prefer either the Wizards, Pelicans, or Nets, who had picks right after him. This strategy backfired as he ended up with the Jazz, a team he reportedly did not wish to join.
Despite a challenging pre-draft process that may have affected his public image, Bailey fell into a situation where he could contribute significantly from day one, particularly on a Jazz team that performed poorly last season, finishing with a 17-65 record.
