SALT LAKE CITY – After losing a franchise-worst 65 games last season, the Utah Jazz were rewarded with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which they used to select Rutgers wing Ace Bailey.
Through no fault of his own, Bailey now bears the burden of justifying not only the Jazz’s decision to draft him with a top-five pick, but the season’s worth of losing it took to have the opportunity to select him.
Related: Big Dunk Turned Keyonte George Into AJ Dybantsa Believer
What Does Will Hardy Want To See From Ace Bailey?
Though Bailey will be inextricably linked to pain endured during the 2024-25 campaign, head coach Will Hardy doesn’t want the 19-year-old to try to validate the Jazz’s decision-making on his own.
“My true feeling on him right now, and this would be to him and to our organization, and most importantly to the fans, is he doesn’t have to prove us right the first day,” Hardy said. “I don’t want him carrying this weight.”
Bailey was largely projected to be a top-three pick throughout his freshman season, but a bizarre pre-draft process, orchestrated by former manager Omar Cooper, saw the phenom drop to fifth.
Ace Bailey 39 points on 16-29 FG (4–8 3pt)
pic.twitter.com/Wx8xNziX8j
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) June 20, 2025
Related: What Are Jazz Getting In Rookie Ace Bailey?
The Jazz gladly selected Bailey, helping to ease the frustration of dropping to fifth in the draft lottery.
Despite the team’s fortune, Hardy is trying to manage expectations both for the Jazz fanbase, and for the rookie himself.
“It’s our responsibility to make his life micro right now, not macro,” Hardy added. “Focus on the smaller things that will then build into the bigger things that he and we want.”
What Is Hardy’s Plan For Bailey
While Bailey was largely known for his scoring prowess in college, the Jazz coaching staff wants to see him utilize his impressive physical tools on the defensive side of the ball.
In addition to his 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game average in college, Bailey also recorded 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks, good indicators of the lottery pick’s two-way potential.
“He’s young, and so there are going to be some guys that are stronger than him, but he’s big, and he’s long, and he’s athletic,” Hardy said. “He can do that defensively.”
Ace Bailey comes over to block the 7’3 Aday Mara. He swatted this ball above the box. pic.twitter.com/H6Q1zKFz8H
— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) January 13, 2025
On the offensive side of the ball, Hardy is trying to simplify the game.
Bailey carried a large offensive load on an under-talented Rutgers roster last season, which often resulted in the freshman catching the ball and surveying the defense before trying to make a play.
Early in his career, the Jazz coach hopes to eliminate the guesswork.
“I want him to make quick decisions, and that may mean [he] shoots it every time, that’s fine,” Hardy said. “But I want [him] to make quick decisions and not hold the ball.”
With that said, Hardy is confident in Bailey’s abilities.
“If he puts the work in with his ability, his energy level, his competitiveness, he’s going to turn out to be more than we want him to,” Hardy concluded. “But we’re going to have to give him a little bit of grace to do that.”
Bailey and the Jazz open the preseason on October 8 in Houston against the Rockets. The team opens the regular season at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on October 22.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.