The 2025 NBA Draft didn’t just have its fair share of surprises—it had one that left jaws on the floor. When the Utah Jazz stepped up to pick Ace Bailey at No. 5, they made a move that nobody quite saw coming. Why? Because Bailey had made it abundantly clear: Utah wasn’t on his wishlist. But one person who didn’t flinch at the decision? Dwyane Wade.
Bailey’s route to the draft was anything but ordinary. While most top prospects were flying coast-to-coast, trying to impress teams with workouts and interviews, Bailey was nowhere to be found. In fact, he became the only American prospect in this class to completely sit out the pre-draft process. It didn’t take long for the league to start whispering—was his camp trying to guide him toward a more favorable market? Cities like Washington, New Orleans, and Brooklyn reportedly topped his list, offering more touches and better market exposure. But that gamble came with a price: a slide out of the top three.
Still, it seems Wade had no doubts. “When you can get a player as talented as ACE with the 5th pick you don’t over think it, you do it! Good job @utahjazz,” he posted, partly explaining why Utah Jazz went with Bailey despite his initial rejection.
When you can get a player as talented as ACE with the 5th pick you don’t over think it, you do it! Good job @utahjazz
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 26, 2025
Dwyane Wade’s post comes doubling down on the belief that raw talent always finds a way. Utah’s front office clearly shared that mindset. Led by Austin Ainge, they weren’t fazed by Bailey’s radio silence. “We really like him as a player, and a fit in our program,” Ainge told ESPN—short, certain, and straight to the point. Behind the scenes, Bailey’s agent Omar Cooper had reportedly declined workout invites from Utah, Philadelphia, and Charlotte. The aim? Land Bailey with the Wizards at No. 6, where his role could be bigger and development more tailored.
But Utah wasn’t about to let a prospect like him slip by. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in college, flashing elite athleticism and a skill set that’s drawn comparisons to none other than Tracy McGrady. Sure, his playmaking raised eyebrows, but his scoring instincts were never in doubt. For a team coming off a rough season, this is Utah going all-in. Now, all eyes turn to Salt Lake City, where Bailey has a chance to go from workout holdout to the face of a franchise. And he’s already sending out messages to big names in the industry.
Ace Bailey’s message to Giannis Antetokounmpo after being drafted by Jazz
The Utah Jazz may have found their next star in Ace Bailey, grabbing the Rutgers standout with the fifth overall pick in the NBA Draft. Minutes after his name echoed through the draft venue, Bailey sat down with ESPN’s Monica McNutt, and he was the picture of calm.
Now, you’d expect nerves or maybe a little overwhelm in such a moment, right? But when McNutt asked how he managed to stay so cool and confident in this moment, especially with so much chatter around his pre-draft decisions, Bailey gave a mature, grounded response: “I have a great circle that maintains the outside world while I just focus on the basketball part, so I just thank them every day.”
Clearly, Bailey’s circle is doing its job—because while fans and analysts debated his draft process, NBA stars took notice of his game. McNutt brought up how Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo had shown him public love, with Giannis even demonstrating some on-court moves for the youngster. Naturally, she asked if Bailey planned to turn those moves back on the Bucks star in an actual NBA matchup.
“Oh for sure, I got some more stuff for him for sure,” Bailey replied, grinning like someone already plotting the next highlight reel. After his selection, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony noted that the Jazz were keeping Bailey in their plans moving forward. And why not? The guard had a strong freshman year at Rutgers, putting up 17.6 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting, knocking down 34.6 percent from beyond the arc, while also averaging 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
He arrived at Rutgers as one of the most talked-about prospects in the country. While Cooper Flagg topped the 2024 class, Bailey and his teammate Dylan Harper weren’t far behind. Despite their individual success, the Scarlet Knights finished just 15-17 overall and 8-12 in Big Ten play.
Still, Bailey’s draft stock stayed firmly intact. What did create a stir, though, were whispers that he turned down a visit to the Philadelphia 76ers—the team holding the third pick. That move had people talking, but it didn’t shake the confidence of a player who seems more than ready for the spotlight. And neither did it shake Dwyane Wade’s belief that teams will make decisions that seem right for the game irrespective of the rejections that may have been.
The post Dwyane Wade Confirms Why Ace Bailey Was Drafted Despite Jazz Workout Rejection appeared first on EssentiallySports.