Budding young star Ace Bailey did not see every team equally ahead of his NBA draft day. He made it known before Wednesday's event that he had a preference for his landing spot, and he even told one team that he wouldn't report if they picked him in the top five.
"Leading up to the NBA draft, Ace Bailey's representatives informed a team drafting inside the top five that they didn't want that team to select the Rutgers wing and that he wouldn't report if it did," wrote ESPN.
In college, Bailey was a star for Rutgers University with averages of 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 46.0% shooting. As a versatile two-way wing player, Bailey dominated the small forward position and earned his place as a top national prospect. But when Bailey began showing signs of favoritism with his NBA landing spots, his value began to take a hit.
At first, Bailey was selective with his pre-draft workouts and only made himself available to one team. Leading up to the big day, he had his agent working around the clock to try and help him land with the Wizards or Pelicans, believing they were the best fits for his game. He specifically wanted to avoid the Jazz and Hornets in the top five.
We don’t know which team he threatened not to report to, but the likelihood is that it was the Hornets at four. The franchise is a mess right now and is also notorious for being poorly run. Plus, they already have a leading star (LaMelo Ball) who might clash with Bailey’s alpha dog mentality.
After earning quite a salary at Rutgers and proving himself as one of the best young players in college, Ace wanted to go to a team where he could thrive as the number one option while playing high-level basketball. He felt that going to Charlotte or Philadelphia would have hindered his chances of success,s and it's hard to blame him given their long history of failure.
Of course, Bailey was passed up by the 76ers or Hornets only to be picked at No. 5 instead. The move by Utah caught everyone off guard, including Bailey himself, who said he had “no clue” about their interest. The Jazz are feeling great about the addition, but by the looks of it, Ace was not happy about his draft results as footage seemingly caught him in tears after learning his fate.
With no other choice but to proceed, Ace must accept his new reality and embrace the current situation if he wants to succeed in the NBA. While Utah may not have been his first choice, it's a solid location for him to grow and develop his game.
Sadly, the young star will start his career from behind as he looks to restore his legacy from rejecting so many teams in the draft. His lack of gratitude and appreciation for the moment rubbed many fans the wrong way, and he’ll have to earn his way back into their good graces.
It’s not an ideal start for Ace Bailey’s NBA career, but he has more than enough time to make things right and prove himself as someone who can be the leader of a title contender.
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