After wearing the same jersey number in high school and college, Ace Bailey will have a new look to begin his rookie campaign in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.

Bailey donned No. 4 at McEachern High School and Rutgers University before the Jazz selected him with the fifth pick in the draft. With No. 4 retired by the Jazz to honor Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley, Bailey will wear No. 19 next season.

The soon-to-be 19-year-old had a few different options to choose from with the Jazz, but elected for No. 19 to pay tribute to his grandmother, who died in 2021. He is the sixth player in franchise history to wear that number, according to Basketball-Reference.

Bailey was a third-team All-Big Ten selection last season at Rutgers, averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and one steal on 34.6% shooting from 3-point range. He ranked ninth among all freshmen in points (527) and 10th in rebounds (215).

The 6-foot-8 forward debuted with the Jazz in the Salt Lake City Summer League, averaging 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists in two games. He was limited to those two appearances because of a hip injury and didn’t suit up for the team in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bailey enters next season with the fourth-highest odds of winning Rookie of the Year. He will have tremendous expectations as a top-five pick and will do so with a new jersey number.

Note: Throughout August, Rookie Wire is looking at every first-round pick and why each player selected their respective jersey number as they make the jump to the NBA.

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