Ace Bailey was selected by the Utah Jazz with the No. 5 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. However, the young forward’s initial reaction told a different story. His facial expression during the announcement fueled speculation that Utah wasn’t his preferred destination.
Despite the circulating rumors, Bailey’s agent, Andrew Witlieb, quickly addressed the concerns. During an interview with Front Office Sports, he claimed that his client is excited to join the Jazz.
“He’s thrilled to be going to Utah. Obviously, it’s an honor to be selected in the top five of the NBA draft. And we think he can do a lot of great things out there. He certainly should get a ton of playing time, and he’ll have a lot of chances to show what he can do. So we think it’s a great situation for him basketball-wise,” Witileb said.
Ace Bailey’s representative, Andrew Witlieb, refutes claims that Bailey didn’t want to go to Utah and says he’s “thrilled” to be drafted by the Jazz
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 27, 2025
(🎥 @FOS / h/t @Fullcourtpass )
pic.twitter.com/17HZ2pEgvP
“He wanted someplace where Ace could have the best possible basketball fit for his game. And we think Utah is one of the best places he could have gone,” he added.
Previous reports suggested that Bailey had his eyes set on other teams. The former Rutgers standout was reportedly more interested in joining the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, or Brooklyn Nets. In fact, Bailey didn’t even participate in a pre-draft workout with the Jazz.
Ace Bailey’s Absence Sparks Questions About Fit With Jazz
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that Bailey has had minimal communication with the Jazz since draft night. Windhorst revealed that Bailey has not even traveled to Utah yet.
“The Jazz were very excited to welcome him to Utah over the weekend, and that hasn’t happened yet. So he did not go there. Their other first-round pick, Walter Clayton Jr., flew to Utah on Thursday and is getting ready to go. Ace Bailey did not, and there’s been minimal contact with him and the team,” Windhorst reported.
Bailey is one of the best scorers in the 2025 draft class. Hence, he was simply too good to pass up for Utah. But for now, it seems time and communication will be key to building a strong foundation between the rookie and the franchise.
