Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. Currently writing for SB Nation and FanSided, he has covered theUtah Jazz andBYU athletics since 2024 and graduated from Utah Valley University.
When the Utah Jazz slipped to the fifth overall pick — the worst possible outcome courtesy of the fickle draft lottery — an audible groan reverberated off the Wasatch Mountain range. After three straight seasons of being tangled in the weeds of losing basketball, the cruel fates delivered yet another gut punch to a franchise already in the fetal position.
With the fifth pick, the future of the Utah Jazz was placed in the hands of those above them.
Dallas picked Cooper Flagg.
San Antonio grabbed Dylan Harper.
Philadelphia selected VJ Edgecombe.
Charlotte took Kon Knueppel.
Thus arrived a crucial hinge point for the awaiting Utah Jazz. Walking to the buffet table, the sneeze guard was already smudged. The french fries had been pillaged. The prime rib had been reduced to a red-soaked cutting board. Through tear-blurred eyes, the Jazz war room scanned the scraps of what was once a mighty array of draft selections.
Then, as if arriving through diving intervention, there sat the bacon-wrapped tenderloin. Glorious. Beaming. By miraculous oversight, the rabid hyenas who scavenged the table had overlooked one of the most talented entrees on the board. That talent: Airious “Ace” Bailey.
Despite sitting as a sure-thing top 3 prospect for the majority of his freshman season, rumors swirled in recent weeks that Ace’s stock had begun to tank. The weather forecast projected rain for the wing from Rutgers, and he was expected to fall.
But Utah decided to dam the flood. When no one on your team is a guaranteed keeper, you take the best value available in the draft. Cut and dry.
Utah selects Ace Bailey 5th overall
2025 NBA Draft - Round One Ace Bailey flashes a smile as he shakes Adam Silver’s hand.
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Measureables: 6’10” 200 lbs
2024-25 Stats: 17.6 pts | 7.2 reb | 1.3 ast | 54.0% TS
Ace Bailey was the best available player with the fifth selection, with top 3 (arguably top 2) potential to build toward. Ladies, if your beach ball is floaty, bouncy, and elastic, that’s not your beach ball, it’s your man: Airious Bailey. Here are the benefits of running with the 6-foot-9 wing out of Rutgers:
Benefits:
Shotmaking ability. This guy takes tough shots, but here’s a key caveat to that: he makes them. Almost Kobe-esque in his ability to ignore any outside influence and just hit jumpers.
Athleticism. Like the Human Torch and Plastic Man had a love child. He’s a top-tier athlete capable of exploding above the defense and stretching himself to throw one down over the top. His burst and length translate terrifically to the defensive end, as he is an underrated shot blocker and disruptor when he locks in on that end.
Star upside. Of the available players on the draft board, Ace has the best chance to become an All-Star. He’s got the stuff and could project to be an exceptional offensive creator. Should he develop well and improve his decision-making ability, his reach and touch are strong enough to become a 25+ PPG scorer if he brings it all together. He’s a two-way guy when he wants to be (1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game at Rutgers), and could be one of the best players in the draft.
Drawbacks:
But it’s not all golden, and he didn’t slide for purely off-the-court reasons. Though his highs are indeed tantalizing, the lows are present, and we’ve got to do our due diligence.
Decision-making. He’s on the record as saying he practices tough shots — shots that many would even classify as “bad shots”. He’s stubborn, and while that can be a superpower for some, if he becomes a black hole on offense, he’s got tunnel vision. He settles for fallaway jump shots over attacking the rim far too often, but that’s a correctable habit.
Shoutout, Patrick Ewing.
Needs some spit shine. He’s not perfect, and his efficiency and ball handling need some work before he’s ready to put his name among the best 30 players in the league. He’s a worker, and refining his weaknesses will likely be priority number one for his new team. That said, he could be a good, if not underwhelming product, if his development plateaus.
Incidentally, I already graded this selection on a hypothetical basis when I broke down the draft stock rumors surrounding Bailey prior to the draft. I’ll stick with my original analysis.
“Don’t overthink it, and don’t buy into the negative momentum. Ace Bailey would be an A+ pick for the Jazz at 5 — don’t expect them to pass up on such an opportunity if it appears. He comes with his risks, but could end up a star if he takes off.”
Pros:
Star Upside
Exceptional Athleticism
Bucket-Getter
Cons:
Decision Making
Physicality, Bad Habits
Draft Grade: A+
You’re not doing any better at this spot in the draft.