Utah Jazz Big Bet On Ace Bailey Is Paying Off
Nov 19, 2025, 5:49 PM | Updated: Nov 20, 2025, 10:47 am
Kevin Love #42 celebrates a play with Ace Bailey #19 (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz Are Banking on Ace Bailey.
The Jazz earned the fifth overall pick after their dismal 17-65 season, and after years of sinking deeper into a rebuild, Bailey is already showing signs he could be the team’s ticket out.
Here’s a straightforward look at Bailey’s progress through the first 14 games and where he has grown on the court.
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Ace Bailey Is Improving Quickly
First Five Games
Due to an illness and minor knee tendinitis, Bailey missed the final six days of training camp before opening night, and he looked noticeably out of place in his first five NBA games.
The 19-year-old often found himself out of position on both ends of the floor, relying on teammates and coaches to tell him where to be.
ACE. BAILEY.
What a first bucket for the #5 pick ✈️ pic.twitter.com/5edyboztX8
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
To make matters worse, Bailey shot just 1-10 in his first two games and never scored more than eight points in his first five appearances.
During that stretch, he averaged 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 25 percent from the field and 16 percent from three in 17 minutes per game.
Second Four Games
After taking 12 threes in his first five games, Bailey simplified his approach. He leaned on his physical tools to score instead of forcing three-point shots.
In games 6-10, only seven of his 27 field-goal attempts came from deep as he focused on finishing near the rim in half-court sets, on offensive rebounds, or in transition.
don’t mind Ace, just flyin’ through for a board and a bucket ✈️ pic.twitter.com/a6rXxRiis6
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 6, 2025
The adjustment steadily improved his shooting percentages and led to his first double-digit scoring game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in his ninth outing.
Over those four games, Bailey averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field and 28 percent from three in 20 minutes per game.
As a Starter
When Taylor Hendricks went down with an injury, Bailey stepped into the starting lineup in his tenth game and saw a major jump in production.
His minutes spiked from 18.3 per night in his first nine games to nearly 24 per night over his next five.
With more floor time, Bailey found his rhythm as a shooter without forcing shots outside the Jazz’s offense.
Ace with a 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐑-𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 13 points and we’re only in the second quarter 👀🔥#TakeNote | @AiriousB pic.twitter.com/9bx06YyRl5
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 12, 2025
Except for Sunday’s foul-plagued outing that limited him to five points in 10 minutes, the Rutgers product scored in double figures in his other four games, including back-to-back 20-point performances against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
Over his last five games, Bailey has averaged 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from three.
What Have We Learned?
Bailey’s growing production as a scorer is impressive, but his instincts stand out even more.
Critics labeled him an unwilling passer and poor defender coming out of college, yet through 14 games, he has shown almost the opposite.
Ace Bailey disproved almost every major criticism of him coming out of college with these two plays alone.
🚫 Chucker
🚫 Ball hog
🚫 Slow decision maker
🚫 Prefers highlights over the easy play pic.twitter.com/ZMfAclIYbu— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 14, 2025
His 1.5 assists per game don’t jump off the page, but his ability to read defenses and set up teammates instead of forcing shots signals real potential as a playmaker—not just a high-volume scorer.
Defensively, Bailey is still learning NBA schemes, but his effort and competitiveness suggest he can develop into a two-way player with elite length and athleticism.
Overall, Bailey’s first 14 games show a player trending in the right direction—one who brings far more positives than negatives to the floor.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
