ESPN analyst says Ace Bailey was hoping to avoid Utah at all costs: "This was not one of his preferred destinations" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is officially behind us. Cooper Flagg went No. 1 to Dallas , as everyone expected. There weren't any major shakeups at the top, no last-second trades or blockbuster picks to derail the board, at least not until we got to No. 5.
That's when things got interesting, to say the least.
Ace Bailey , the ultra-talented Rutgers wing who'd spent the past year projected as a sure-shot top-three pick and, at one point, even made a serious case for going No. 2, unexpectedly slid down the draft board. It wasn't just about his game, at least not for the most part.
The buzz leading up to draft night was that Bailey's camp had discouraged or outright declined workouts with several teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3. That move sparked speculation that Bailey had been given some sort of assurance that he is going to one of his preferred destinations, namely the Washington Wizards .
When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the Utah Jazz were selecting Bailey with the fifth pick, the room didn't exactly explode with celebration. In fact, the broadcast cameras quickly caught Bailey's face and let's just say he didn't look thrilled to be heading to Salt Lake City.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony didn't sugarcoat the moment either. Shortly after the pick was made, he gave a straightforward explanation of the situation.
"This was not one of his preferred destinations… Utah… He was hoping to get to either Washington, New Orleans or Brooklyn," the ESPN analyst said with a touch of surprise.
It was clear as day: this wasn't what Bailey or his team had envisioned. And yet, the Jazz front office didn't flinch. They still went ahead and drafted him anyway. That's just how this business works sometimes, especially when a front office believes it has a star in its hands, regardless of how excited that player may be to join the program.
"The Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey knowing that. This is a bit of a stunner. But if you think about it, this is an outstanding place for Ace Bailey. They have a wide open wing situation, they have a huge need for a star at this moment. I think Ace Bailey is going to recover from this really quickly," Givony added.
The Jazz clearly see something worth betting on. A raw but high-upside talent who hasn't even come close to scratching the surface of his potential. And while Bailey might not be thrilled right now, this could easily be the kind of low-pressure environment he needs to evolve into a legitimate two-way threat.
Let's be clear: Utah's not exactly a free-agent destination, and they're a long way off from contending in the Western Conference. But they do have pieces. With Keyonte George , Taylor Hendricks , and Walker Kessler already in place and Lauri Markkanen still in his prime, the Jazz have quietly assembled a roster that might surprise some people sooner than later.
At the top of it all sits Danny Ainge, the man they call "Trader Danny" for a reason. Ainge built his front office rep during his Boston Celtics days, where he pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in league history and drafted future cornerstones. Now, he is looking to do the same in Utah.
He's got a vision, and he clearly believes Bailey fits it.
Bailey might not feel like a Jazzer right now, and honestly, it showed. But if history has taught us anything, it's that Ainge doesn't make moves without thinking three steps ahead. Whether Ace believes it at this moment or not, Utah could end up being the best thing for his career. We will just have to wait and see what the future holds for this promising talent.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
