Ace Bailey puts Utah commitment rumors to rest with poised response

In the last few days, there have been rumors circulating about Ace Bailey not wanting to join the Utah Jazz. However, during his introductory press conference on Sunday, Bailey put it all to rest and admitted that he was “blessed” to be in such a position.

Earlier, the Rutgers forward had come under severe criticism regarding his approach to his pre-draft routine. A few reports suggested that he refused to work out with the Charlotte Hornets, the Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers. There was no stated reason for his different approach to these teams, except that they have barely been successful in the last few seasons.

During the press conference, a reporter asked Bailey if at any point, he had considered not coming to Utah.

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"No, not at all," Bailey said. "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. They came on with me so, I am just blessed to be here."

Bailey was expected to be one of the top three selections in the 2025 NBA draft. However, concerns about his shooting and passing skills surfaced as he fell to No. 5. Despite his unwillingness to work out with the team, the Jazz selected Bailey.

The team appears to have already made adjustments for their incoming rookie. Collin Sexton, a high-volume shot taker, was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in return for Jusuf Nurkic. In the absence of Sexton, Bailey might be able to take more shots.

The Jazz rookie came in ready to put in work and make his game more efficient for the upcoming season.

"I trust my work," Bailey said. "I (put in) countless hours in the gym with everything that I do. So I trust it. Everybody makes mistakes. God didn’t put us here to be perfect. So I just trust myself and just trust my process."

Ace Bailey wants to dunk on Michael Jordan

Ace Bailey is yet to show his talent on the NBA court, and he is already talking big. The Rutgers player had some memorable dunks during his freshman year. Now he is in the NBA and is already taking it big time.

During his draft night, Bailey was asked if he had any former players in his mind that he would want to dunk on. His answer: Michael Jordan. Of course, he was talking about the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.

"Either jump over and windmill or like catch him over his head or between the legs, or something like that."

The Slam Dunk Contest has lost its luster in the last few editions, and having Michael Jordan involved can only raise the entertainment factor.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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