Latest news with #AceBailey
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey, No. 5 overall pick in 2025 NBA draft, set to report to Jazz on Saturday, team says
Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey is expected to report to the team on Saturday after an unusual draft process, in which Bailey declined to workout with individual teams ahead of the draft. A Jazz representative told ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Friday afternoon that Bailey will join his new team over the weekend with a Sunday press conference. "We've had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives. We feel good about everything. Ace and his family are coming to Utah tomorrow. We'll have a press conference Sunday, and a practice Monday." "This has always been the plan, including for our other rookies, Walter Clayton and John Tonje — to let them go home and collect their belongings, and then fly right to summer league from Salt Lake City." Advertisement Prior to the draft, it was reported that Bailey wanted to land with one of three teams. The Jazz were not one of the team's on Bailey's reported list. Despite that, the team took him with the No. 5 overall pick. After the draft, it was reported that one of Bailey's reps told a team in the top five that it should not select Bailey in the draft. It's unclear which team was told to stay away from the Rutgers guard. Bailey was asked about the situation after the Jazz selected him with the No. 5 overall pick on Wednesday. He didn't seem openly angry about it, instead giving a neutral answer and saying, "I can control what I control. How they feel [is] how they feel." The situation has only gotten murkier from there. Following Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft, Bailey's manager, Omar Cooper, declined to comment when asked about the former Rutgers' star's future in Utah. On Friday morning, however, Andrew Witlieb, the president of GSE Worldwide, which represents Bailey, appeared on a Front Office Sports podcast and said Bailey was excited about going to Utah. Advertisement "He's thrilled to be going to Utah," Witlieb said. "Obviously, it's an honor to be selected in the top five of the NBA Draft. We think he can do a lot of great things out there." The fact that Bailey had yet to report to the Jazz as of Friday morning isn't necessarily a big deal. Dallas Mavericks No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg waited until Friday to join his new team. The Jazz's other pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Walter Clayton Jr., has reportedly already joined the team. What happens if Bailey doesn't end up reporting to Utah? It's his option, though it would come with some ramifications. Advertisement If Bailey opts not to report to Utah, he is ineligible to play in the NBA this season. He also cannot return to play college basketball. He could play overseas, but doing so would mean Utah would retain his draft rights. If he doesn't report to Utah and doesn't play professionally elsewhere, he could re-enter the 2026 NBA Draft, where he still wouldn't have control of where he goes and runs the risk of being selected lower in the draft order. Who is Omar Cooper? Until Friday, Bailey's relationship with Cooper and GSE Worldwide was also unclear. Some outlets referred to Cooper as Bailey's agent despite reports Cooper is not a certified agent. Witlieb shed some light on that situation during his podcast appearance, referring to Cooper as Bailey's manager. Advertisement Witlieb said Cooper was focused on finding the best fit for Bailey, and was not necessarily concerned about how high Bailey was picked in the 2025 NBA Draft. "This was led by Bailey's long-time manager, Omar Cooper, who we are partnering on with this. And Omar really focused more on fit rather than going third in the draft kind of thing. He wanted some place where Ace could have the best possible basketball fit for his game. And we think Utah is one of the best places he could have gone." Cooper is listed as the "C.E.O and Founder of LifeStyle Sports Agency" on his Instagram page. A link to the agency's website leads to essentially a "coming soon" page. Despite GSE Worldwide officially representing Bailey, Cooper appears to have served as the main point person for a lot of comments and interviews regarding Bailey leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft. If Bailey truly doesn't want to play for the Jazz, he doesn't have many choices. The team reportedly has no interest in trading Bailey, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
ESPN analyst says Ace Bailey was hoping to avoid Utah at all costs: "This was not one of his preferred destinations"
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. Advertisement 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. Bailey's reaction spoke more than a thousand words 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Related: Tracy McGrady believes he was never put in the situation to win a ring: "Replace me with Kobe with Shaq... You don't think I can carry the Lakers to a championship?" Trader Danny has the vision 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. Advertisement 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. Related: "I don't think there has ever been someone that played this hard as him all the time" - Cooper Flagg reveals the one thing he admires most about Larry Bird This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ace Bailey crushes Lakers rumors, takes Utah Jazz decision amid wild NBA Draft speculation
With the season winding down to speculations of draft-day manipulation and trade rumours, Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey has finally quashed all the rumour mills. Ace Bailey poses on the red carpet prior to the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) The 18-year-old rising star, selected No. 5 overall in Wednesday's NBA Draft out of Rutgers, will report to the Jazz on Saturday, a team representative confirmed to ESPN's Jonathan Givony. 'We've had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives,' the representative said. 'We feel good about everything. Ace and his family are coming to Utah tomorrow. We'll have a press conference Sunday, and a practice Monday.' ALSO READ| Caitlin Clark not playing vs Dallas Wings: Coach hints at when injured Fever star will be back That confirmation effectively ends the widespread buzz that Bailey or his camp may have been attempting to steer his draft destination. While Bailey didn't work out for any team prior to the draft, all signs now point to him being fully committed to starting his pro career in Salt Lake City. 'He's great,' Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said after the draft. 'We were able to speak with him. He was super excited. We're super excited. We're expecting a very bright future.' Bailey's Utah bet shakes up Lakers' offseason blueprint Bailey will now begin preparing for the NBA Summer League, set to tip off on 10 July. After a standout season with the Scarlet Knights, where he averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, earning All-Big Ten honours, the forward arrives in Utah as one of the league's most talked about rookies. Yet, one such ripple effect might be on Los Angeles because of Bailey's sudden commitment to Utah. With the Los Angeles Lakers entering the offseason disappointed by losing in the first round of the playoffs, the front office is likely to pursue reinforcements to maximise Lebron James' last title run. Many speculated that if Bailey expressed disinterest in Utah, the Jazz might pivot toward making Lauri Markkanen available in a trade. Instead, Utah's stacked frontcourt now featuring Bailey, Markkanen, John Collins (who picked up his $26.2 million player option), and Walker Kessler presents a good problem for Danny Ainge to solve. ALSO READ| Caitlin Clark misses game vs Sparks: How serious is her new injury Notably, Markkanen's shooting and size make him an ideal fit next to LeBron and Luka Dončić, whom the Lakers reportedly pursued. They also retained Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and a coveted unprotected 2031 first-round pick.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Utah Jazz expect No. 5 pick Ace Bailey to join team immediately, per report
The Utah Jazz expect rookie Ace Bailey to report to the team facility on Saturday, June 28, according to a report by ESPN. The 6-foot-10 guard was a highly touted prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft and was eventually selected by Utah with No. 5 overall pick on June 25. His pre-draft process had raised eyebrows across the league when he did not meet with teams for individual workouts. Guard Walter Clayton Jr. (18th overall pick) and forward John Tonje (53rd overall pick) are also expected to be in Salt Lake City for the team's introductory rookie press conference on Sunday, June 29, and at practice on Monday, June 30. All three players are expected to participate for the Jazz during NBA Summer League. 2025 NBA Draft: Jazz draft Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey with No. 5 pick Ace Bailey's pre-draft process Bailey was the only American player who hadn't conducted a single visit prior to the draft to work out for an NBA team. He drew attention after canceling a visit with the Philadelphia 76ers, who held the third overall pick in the draft. Bailey had reportedly declined invitations for a visit from the Jazz and the Charlotte Hornets, who had the fourth overall pick. "I'm glad it's over," Bailey said about his process at the draft. "I'm ready to play some basketball now. It's just been a great journey. Me working hard, pushing myself physically and mentally, just getting prepared for the next level." Omar Cooper, Bailey's agent, had previously addressed the ongoing conversation about his client. 'Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago,' Cooper told ESPN. 'He did 18 interviews. Everyone got his medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements. They watched him shoot in drills.' Cooper cited similar situations from the 2021 draft, including Davion Mitchell and Evan Mobley, and the lack of conversation that was had during their respective processes. Ace Bailey's college stats Ace Bailey started all 30 games he played in his only season at Rutgers. The point guard averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 33.3 minutes per game. He was named to the All-Big Ten third team and the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Named Favorites to Land Ace Bailey After Jazz News
Lakers Named Favorites to Land Ace Bailey After Jazz News originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a bit of a shocking move, the Utah Jazz selected Rutgers forward Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Bailey reportedly declined a workout with the Jazz prior to the draft, making the team's choice to select him a confusing one. Advertisement Furthermore, according to recent reports, Bailey is "having second thoughts about reporting to the Jazz" and reportedly did not fly out to Utah following the draft. "Reports surfaced that Ace Bailey is having second thoughts about reporting to the Jazz, which has forced the organization to address the situation," the Athletic posted on Friday. "The Rutgers product was clearly and visibly not happy being selected by Utah. But the Jazz did the necessary thing." Following the latest news surrounding Bailey's status with the Jazz, in another surprising turn, the Los Angeles Lakers (+235) have been named the favorites to land the 18-year-old if Utah opts to move him. Advertisement Alongside the Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks (+350) have the second-highest odds to trade for Bailey despite selecting Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick. The Phoenix Suns (+400), Toronto Raptors (+450), and Miami Heat (+575) round out the rest of the top five. If Los Angeles were to trade for Bailey, that would add a lot of intrigue to the team. This offseason, the Lakers will look to bolster their roster and build around star Luka Doncic, whose first full year with the team will be next season. Pairing Doncic with a potential young star in Bailey would be exciting. Additionally, LeBron James has yet to make a decision on his $52.6 million player option this offseason. If he chooses to return to the Lakers, and if they were to acquire Bailey, the team would likely inch even closer to legitimate title contention. Advertisement Nothing is official yet, but Bailey's status in Utah will be worth monitoring this summer. If the Jazz decide to trade him, there will likely be a few teams interested in his services, and that may include the Lakers at the top of the list. Related: LeBron James Called to Retire by Former NBA All-Star Related: Jayson Tatum Makes Cooper Flagg Gesture After NBA Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
