Ace Bailey Arrives In Utah Following First-Round Selection
Jun 28, 2025, 4:07 PM | Updated: 4:08 pm
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Ace Bailey poses on the red carpet prior to the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – No. 5 overall pick Ace Bailey is on the ground in Utah days after the Utah Jazz selected him in the NBA draft.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy welcomed Bailey to Utah when his plane landed on Saturday, June 28.
The Jazz are expected to introduce their 2025 draft picks to the media on Sunday, June 29, at 3 p.m. MT.
Looks like Boozer and Avery Bradley were on the plane with Ace Bailey coming to Utah.
Red carpet. pic.twitter.com/0LZvGv0Kg4
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 28, 2025
Sporting a light-blue Jazz t-shirt, Bailey put to rest any doubts that he would be unwilling to play for Utah after declining a predraft workout with the team.
What does Ace Bailey offer the Jazz?
One Of The Highest-Rated Prospects In Team History
While the Jazz have no shortage of highly ranked prospects on their team, few compare to Bailey historically.
Though both Bailey and current Jazz guard Isaiah Collier were the number two-ranked high school players in the country according to 24/7 Sports, Bailey comes from a much higher-rated graduating class overall.
Ace Bailey scoring 22 PTS on a very good Alabama team last November
What stands out? pic.twitter.com/USucS4LRiV
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) June 28, 2025
The Rutgers product is a true blue-chip prospect, combining elite physical tools and a high-level scoring prowess that the Jazz haven’t fostered in a rookie in several decades.
Bailey measured in at 6-foot-7.5 (barefoot), with a 7-foot wingspan, and an 8-foot-11 standing reach.
The Tennessee native was among the top freshman scorers in the country, averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three.
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Utah opens the Salt Lake City Summer League against the Philadelphia 76ers and No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe. The 2025 Salt Lake City Summer League will be played at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10- 12 p.m. with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
