One player between Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe stood out during their NBA Summer League clash.
Before making their official debut, VJ Edgecombe and Ace Bailey recently battled it out against each other during the Philadelphia 76ers vs Utah Jazz game at the Salt Lake City Summer League.
All eyes were on the high-octane game, especially following Bailey’s NBA Draft fiasco. After the dust settled, the Jazz walked away with a close 93-89 win over the 76ers.
However, when it came to the Edgecombe vs Bailey battle, the former dominantly outshone the latter.
Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty ImagesAce Bailey has disappointing NBA Summer League debut vs VJ Edgecombe
Edgecombe finished the night with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists for the 76ers. On the other hand, Bailey struggled as he put up just 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Bailey was also abysmal from the floor as he shot just 3-of-13 from the field and a terrible 1-of-5 from the three-point line.
The No. 3 and No. 5 picks faced off in SL debuts 👀
VJ Edgecombe: 28 PTS, 13-27 FG, 10 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK
Ace Bailey: 8 PTS, 3-13 FG, 7 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK pic.twitter.com/wQ6yvAzNMX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 6, 2025
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After an underwhelming Summer League debut, Bailey faced major flak from NBA fans on X.
“Ace is going to be a bust… calling it here first,” a fan wrote. While another added: “I don’t think ace a bust. He just doesn’t want to play for Utah.”
“Ace Bailed,” a third fan added.
“The media will eat this boy up,” one fan warned Ace.
“Sixers dodged a bullet by not drafting Bailey lol,” a fifth fan pointed out.
“Ace looked awful,” a sixth fan announced.
All things considered, many fans loved seeing Bailey struggle in his Summer League debut. Unfortunately, Bailey has no one but himself to blame for this reception.
Ace Bailey speaks on getting drafted by the Utah Jazz
For weeks before the 2025 NBA Draft, Bailey was expected to be a top-three pick in his class. He even had a pre-draft workout scheduled with the 76ers.
However, cancelling it last minute plummeted Bailey’s draft stock as he fell to the Jazz at the fifth spot. Bailey seemed unfazed by the outcome, but he clarified his stance on being picked by Utah.
“I mean, just blessed to be in this position I am. Not a lot of people can sit in these chairs and have great teammates as I got on. They came on with me, so I’m just blessed to be here,” Ace said.
Whether Bailey faked his excitement about playing on the Jazz or not, the reality is that he’s now a member of the team.
Now it’s up to him to clear his image and dominate like his favorite NBA players. Playing well in the Summer League would be an excellent first step in that process.