Jazz Teammates are Impressed With Ace Bailey Amid Criticism

The 2025 NBA Draft class is one of the most impressive sets of rookies in recent history. Cooper Flagg is the biggest headliner, but the NBA has players like Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, and many more.

Among them is Bailey, who has become underrated. People saw the headlines about him before the Draft, but he has silenced the critics by continuing his hard work. Now, the veterans on the Jazz roster love what they are seeing from the rookie.

Niang Loves What He is Seeing From Bailey

As one of the veterans on the Jazz roster, Georges Niang knows what it's like to play alongside stars. Niang has played with names like Donovan Mitchell, Joel Embiid, and Trae Young.

From his perspective, Bailey has done well to earn everyone's respect. He is not the locker room problem that some reports painted him out to be before the Draft.

With this kind of co-sign from a respected veteran, Bailey is in a good place with Utah. It might not be the flashiest team, but he has the opportunity to shine and become a top player on a promising roster.

"He's really talented, he's super special. I was trying to come up with a comparison, but I don't want to put my foot in my mouth. I've never seen a kid who is more excited to be here. There's been plenty of times in the locker room, and he says 'it's a blessing to be in the NBA,'" Niang said on Run It Back.

"It's unfortunate the narrative that was created about him because he's such a great kid. He loves to play basketball, and I think he's proved his abilities as a basketball player, but I've been more impressed with who he is as a person. The sky is the limit for that kid."

Bailey Can Become a Star in Utah

Utah has been a strong team in the past few decades, but recent years have shown them struggling. This is not a familiar spot for most fans because they love competing for the Playoffs.

It will take some time, but they are in a good spot because they might have found their star for the long-term future in Bailey. He has everything teams would want in a star forward because he is a natural scorer, he is athletic, and he has the personality often seen from stars.

With that kind of authority, Bailey commands respect from everyone within his space. However, he is a respectful player who only wants what is best for the team. Thankfully, his good performances are best for the team moving forward.

Head coach Will Hardy and Jazz CEO Danny Ainge are the chief decision-makers within the franchise, so having Bailey is a good sign because they have a star-level talent for the foreseeable future outside of Lauri Markkanen.