Ace Bailey Will 'Feel Love' With Jazz After 2025 NBA Draft, Owner Ryan Smith Says

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith expressed his belief Thursday that Ace Bailey will be embraced by Jazz fans and the state of Utah.

During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Smith said, "Naturally, he probably doesn't have a lot of experience out west here with Utah. That's our job to go make him love it. I'm confident in our state. I know that he'll feel love like he's never felt before. People are fired up to have him."

On Thursday night, the Jazz used the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft to select Bailey, giving them a potential steal, as the former Rutgers standout was widely expected to be a top-three pick at the start of the pre-draft process.

In the days leading up to the draft, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that an anonymous NBA executive said they believed Bailey wanted to play on the east coast "somewhere between Atlanta and New York."

That report surfaced after ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Shams Charania reported that Bailey canceled a scheduled meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers, who owned the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

Bailey was the only U.S.-based prospect who did not have a private workout with a team before the draft, and an NBA executive suggested to Pompey that Bailey would likely slide in the draft as a result.

When Bailey arrived at Rutgers, he was firmly in the conversation with Duke's Cooper Flagg as the top freshman in the nation. Flagg went on to win National College Player of the Year honors, and he was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft to the Dallas Mavericks.

Bailey was productive in his own right, averaging 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 three-pointers made, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steal per game, but Rutgers struggled as a team, finishing 15-17.

He was also surpassed by his own teammate in the draft rankings, as Dylan Harper became the consensus No. 2 player in the 2025 draft behind Flagg, and he ended up going second overall to the San Antonio Spurs.

The Sixers took Baylor wing V.J. Edgecombe third overall and the Charlotte Hornets went with Duke's Kon Knueppel fourth overall, but Utah stopped Bailey's slide at No. 5.

After the Jazz took him, Bailey said he had "no idea" Utah was interested in him, and a source told ESPN's Jonathan Givony (h/t ESPN's Tim Bontemps) that Utah was not among Bailey's desired destinations.

However, Bailey didn't say anything publicly that suggests he doesn't want to play for the Jazz, and Smith said selecting him was a case of taking the best player available.

The Jazz also landed Florida guard and reigning national champion Walter Clayton Jr. later in the first round, giving them arguably the most talented incoming draft class in the NBA.

Utah went 17-65 last season and it has not made the playoffs since 2022, but with Bailey and Clayton joining the core of Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, the Jazz have a chance to be far more competitive next season.