Oct 29, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Kevin Love Had High Praise for Jazz F Ace Bailey After First Start

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 1:30 PM ET

The Utah Jazz seemingly liked what they saw from Ace Bailey during his first career start up against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Being called up to the starting five for the first time, Bailey made solid work of his 28 minutes on the floor. He had 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in one of his better games of his rookie campaign thus far––and it caught the attention of several.

One of those names in the building who had good things to say about Bailey's first start was the Jazz's veteran big man, Kevin Love, who made note of the vast impact he had on the game outside of his standout scoring ability.

"Even when the opportunities for shots weren't there, he was doing other things … like rebounding the ball — offensive rebounds — and, just, you could tell his intentions were to do the right thing," Love said, via Ryan Miller of KSL.com. "And you get your first start in the NBA. I can't remember when mine was, but I know one thing's for certain, I wanted to please everybody and do really well."

Kevin Love Says Ace Bailey's Just Scratching the Surface

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Love, who's now in his 18th year as a part of the league and his first with the Jazz, has seen his fair share of rookie campaigns come and go, and even recalls how his own first start transpired with Minnesota back in 2008.

In Love's first start ever, he made good use of it too: 20 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, all of which turned out to provide a bit of foreshadowing for what was in store for the rest of his impressive career.

But as for Bailey, he seemingly did enough through his first starting opportunity to inspire some notable confidence for what lies ahead himself, both for this season, as well as the rest of his career. Those strong feelings seem to radiate around the building through both the players and the coaching staff, including for Love.

save the best (bucket) for last#TakeNote | @AiriousB pic.twitter.com/7yZwS7F9Fb
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 11, 2025

Love, who's been around Bailey for the past few months through the offseason and the beginning part of the 2025-26 campaign, knows the type of potential the rookie has in store, and in just 10 games, that effort of getting better has already begun to peek through.

"We haven't scratched the surface yet," Love said. "It's going to be a beautiful thing as he starts to really take leaps and bounds. But for right now, you might not see it because we only have a small sample size, but he's going to continue to get better."

Give it some time, and the Jazz's fifth-overall pick will continue to prove himself as the versatile and dangerous offensive weapon he's been talked up to be, and in turn, prove Love's analysis to be correct.