Can Ace Bailey deliver Jazz a championship?

The Utah Jazz have been chasing the same dream for decades: that elusive first NBA championship. 

From Karl Malone and John Stockton to Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors to Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the franchise has had stars, playoff runs and even Finals appearances. But the Larry O’Brien Trophy has never made its way to Salt Lake City.

Enter Ace Bailey.

Drafted No. 5 overall in 2025, the 6-foot-8 forward out of Rutgers comes in carrying not just promise, but expectations. Bailey has the size, athleticism and shot-making to become the centerpiece of a new Jazz era. 

He’s also bringing with him some baggage from the predraft process. His camp reportedly pushed for certain destinations — most notably the Washington Wizards — which caused his stock to dip a few spots in mocks before Utah swooped in. That noise aside, the Jazz believe they may have landed their future face of the franchise.

Bailey’s resume backs the optimism. At Rutgers, the former McEachern High School standout averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from three. Scouts compared him to Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr. — a big wing with smooth scoring tools who can stretch defenses and punish mismatches. That type of offensive versatility is something Utah hasn’t had since the peak years of Mitchell or even Hayward.

Still, Bailey is stepping into a franchise with a long history of stars who couldn’t quite push it over the top. Malone won two MVPs. Stockton became the all-time assists and steals leader. Adrian Dantley was a scoring machine. The Deron Williams–Carlos Boozer–Andrei Kirilenko core made one trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2007. Hayward, Paul Millsap and Favors had their moments, and the Mitchell/Gobert duo had promise, but we all know what happened there. None of it ever resulted in a championship parade.

That’s what makes Bailey’s arrival feel different. He’s not just expected to be another Jazz great — he’s expected by many to be the one.

The early returns are encouraging. In Summer League, Bailey "stole the show" with his athleticism and shot creation. On-off data from college showed his defensive presence elevated Rutgers dramatically. The tools are there. The question is how quickly he can polish his handle, tighten his decision-making and adjust to NBA physicality.

The Jazz don’t need Bailey to replicate Malone or Mitchell. They need him to surpass them in one key way: by finally delivering a title. It’s an enormous ask for a 19-year-old, but that’s the burden of being Utah’s latest beacon of hope.

For now, Bailey gives Jazz fans something they haven’t had in years — belief. And that might be the first step toward finally breaking through history.