Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ace Bailey stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the fifth pick by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Utah Jazz's Ace Bailey Snubbed in New Rookie of the Year Projections

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 4:09 PM ET

It looks like executives across the NBA don't see Ace Bailey being too favored in the Rookie of the Year race this coming season.

ESPN recently polled a group of 20 coaches, scouts, and executives ahead of next season on how some of the events of this year could transpire for a handful of events. When the topic centered on their picks for Rookie of the Year, the Utah Jazz's fifth-overall selection from this summer was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, it'd be number-one pick Cooper Flagg claiming an extensive majority. 19 of the 20 votes to be exact, with one lone vote going to Charlotte Hornets' fourth-overall pick, Kon Knueppel. Zero, however, went Bailey's way.

"Not surprisingly, Flagg ran away from the field as one of the most anticipated prospects to come into the NBA in recent memory, possibly trailing only Wembanyama in that category," Tim Bontemps wrote.

The Jazz rookie wouldn't be without some respect coming his way throughout their various polling, as Bailey did land one vote from an executive as the best draft pick to come out of this class five years from now. Yet, his Rookie of the Year hopes remained bleak in the eyes of voters.

So does Bailey really have such an extremely improbable road to Rookie of the Year when compared to Flagg? Well, it'd definitely be an uphill battle, but the chances certainly don't feel like 0%.

The big factor Bailey has in his favor for year one in Utah is the vast opportunities he could have on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, there's certainly room to make an impact on the NBA's worst-rated team on that end of the floor for the past two years. But it's his shot-making prowess and ability to be the center focus of the offense that helps his Rookie of the Year case tremendously.

If Bailey can adjust quickly to the next level at just 19 years old, and stake his claim as one of the top three to two scorers on this roster, and do it at a relatively efficient rate, then there's an easy case to present for the fifth-overall pick to be the best year one player.

That banks on a lot to go right for Bailey, but we know the type of upside he presents if his development pans out. The challenge is on the Jazz brass to get that development right with a player who has a real chance of being a difference-maker for near and distant future.

This article first appeared on Utah Jazz on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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