Ace Bailey Arrives in Utah
Ace Bailey, at just 18 years old, has finally touched down in Salt Lake City. His arrival on Saturday was ahead of a press conference with the Utah Jazz.
The Jazz shared a video showing Bailey and his team as they landed. Welcoming him was head coach Will Hardy, who sported a Jazz-themed shirt.
Bailey’s journey to Utah has been filled with quite a bit of drama and uncertainty since his selection on Wednesday. There was some ambiguity surrounding whether he—along with fellow first-round pick Walter Clayton Jr.—would be reporting to the team, as he didn’t arrive in Utah immediately after the draft.
Just before the draft, Bailey’s agent had informed teams that if he was chosen in the top five, he wouldn’t be reporting to that club—this caught everyone’s attention, with ESPN covering the developments.
Moreover, Bailey had reportedly declined to train with the 76ers leading up to the draft, indicating that his dream destinations were actually the Wizards, Pelicans, or Nets, who were picked sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively.
After being drafted by the Jazz, Bailey expressed surprise at the team’s interest in him. “I have control over what I can control,” he said, addressing the discussions regarding his demeanor before draft night. “They feel how they feel.”
His agent, Omar Cooper, noted that Bailey’s behavior leading up to the draft was unusual but not entirely out of character.
Cooper also highlighted that all NBA teams were observing Bailey during his workouts in Chicago, where he underwent 18 interviews, received medical evaluations, and showcased his athletic abilities. “It was handled in a pretty standard way,” he commented.
On Friday, another representative for Bailey, Andrew Whitlieb, quelled some of the speculation during the lead-up to the draft, stating that Bailey was actually excited about going to Utah. “Omar really concentrated on finding the right fit rather than just being picked third in the draft,” he shared.
In his pursuit of the ideal environment to maximize his basketball potential, it seems that Bailey is optimistic about his new opportunity with the Jazz.
