Ace Bailey Says Jazz Debut 'Was Great' After Summer League Win vs. VJ Edgecombe, 76ers
Ace Bailey didn't have the best statistical game during his Summer League debut for the Utah Jazz on Saturday, but he and his team got the 93-89 win over VJ Edgecombe and the Philadelphia 76ers.
And that was the most important thing for the No. 5 overall pick.
"Man, it was great," Bailey said, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "We won too, so that made it a plus. It was fun."
All eyes were on the matchup between top-five picks, as Philadelphia selected Edgecombe at No. 3 overall. Bailey got the victory, although he had just eight points on 3-of-13 shooting from the field. By comparison, Edgecombe stuffed the stat sheet with 28 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 13-of-27 shooting.
Yet it was Bailey who grabbed one of his seven rebounds and hit an ensuing free throw in the final seconds when Edgecombe missed a three-pointer that would have tied the game.
"All that stuff isn't talked about enough," Jazz coach Will Hardy said when talking about the rebounding and defense from Bailey. "The offense will come. He's learning a new system and new people and has been worked hard the last four days [in practice].
"He's an NBA body and athlete. He's a great teammate too. I've had nothing but positive reviews from all the coaches and his teammates this first week."
That is welcome news for Utah fans considering Bailey's overall willingness to play for the Jazz was a major storyline after he didn't work out with them ahead of the draft.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported before the draft the Rutgers product declined a workout invitation from the team and then reported during the draft that Utah "was not one of his preferred destinations."
Still, Bailey reported to the Jazz and is playing in Summer League games with the team.
MacMahon pointed out he was fully engaged from the bench and cheering on his teammates even when he wasn't on the floor for key moments in crunch time during Saturday's win, and he made positive early impressions with his defense and rebounding.
If the offense does round into form as he becomes more experienced at the NBA level, Bailey will be a building block for the Jazz for years to come.
