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Jazz Make Decision On Ace Bailey After Drafting Him At No. 5

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 1:02 PM ET

The Utah Jazz shocked plenty of fans Wednesday when they selected Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Bailey admit he had "no idea" the Jazz were interested in drafting him. According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, the talented forward from Rutgers didn't have Utah as one of his preferred destinations.

Some fans questioned Bailey's reaction to being drafted by the Jazz. He didn't exactly have a huge smile on his face.

"I can control what I can control. They feel how they feel," Bailey said in regards to all the outside noise. "But my team and me, me focusing on basketball and them doing what they're doing, so it happens."

Despite all the drama regarding Bailey's future with the Jazz, it doesn't sound like he'll be on the move.

"The Utah Jazz are keeping Ace Bailey, a source told ESPN," Givony reported on Wednesday night.

Before people count out Bailey in Utah, just know he's entering his rookie season with the right mentality.

"I feel like once I come in, it's going to be a lot of work," Bailey said. "I feel like I'm a person that likes to work out a lot. I'm going to push my teammates to be the best they can be. I want to come in and be a leader as a young cat."

Bailey was considered a top-three prospect early on in the draft process, but his stock took a hit since he didn't have a single workout with an NBA team.

Can Bailey silence his critics during his rookie season? Sure, but he's got a lot of work ahead of him.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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