Utah Takes Chance On Bailey?

The Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Leading up to the draft, Bailey made headlines for expressing disinterest in being drafted by certain teams. This was evident when he canceled his scheduled workout with the Philadelphia 76ers. Additionally, reports surfaced that he would not report to at least one team holding a top-five pick.

So far, Bailey has not reported to the Utah Jazz, though he has until Monday to do so. Originally projected to be a top-three pick, concerns about his attitude and team preferences likely contributed to his slide to the fifth spot.

Despite these early complications, I still believe there’s hope for Bailey to thrive in Utah. We’ve seen similar situations in the past where players initially hesitated but went on to have strong relationships with the teams that drafted them. A notable example is Evan Mobley, who faced some pre-draft uncertainty but ultimately became a key part of the Cleveland Cavaliers' core.

Hopefully, Bailey decides to suit up for the Jazz and embraces the opportunity to build a great career in Utah.