Ace Bailey's draft journey ended Wednesday night when the Utah Jazz selected the Rutgers star with the No. 5 pick—and what a drama-filled journey it was.
In the months leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft, the Rutgers forward refused to work out with any NBA teams during the pre-draft process, going against the grain of convention. On top of that, Bailey reportedly had three preferred destinations in mind (the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets)—though he personally claimed that wasn't the case hours before the draft kicked off in New York City.
Shortly after the first round of the draft concluded, Bailey held his first press conference as a newly minted member of the Jazz organization. His very first question came from ESPN's Marc Spears, who asked Bailey for his initial thoughts on getting taken by the Jazz.
"Just a blessing," Bailey said. "I know the hard work, the sacrifices, the blood, the sweat, the tears—not just from me, but my family put into this... so I'm just blessed to be here."
Spears then asked if Bailey knew whether the Jazz was interested in him prior to his selection.
"No idea," Bailey said.
Ace Bailey talks about how blessed he is, whether he knew if Utah had interest in him, and his brotherhood with Dylan Harper. pic.twitter.com/bmE5BZNKoA
— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) June 26, 2025
Maybe if he had worked out with a few NBA teams, he would have known which teams were interested in him and which teams weren't. In any case, it seems like it all worked out for the new Jazz rookie in the end.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ace Bailey Shares His Honest First Thoughts on Getting Drafted by Jazz.
