CITY OF SALT LAKE – “The Utah Jazz are banking on Ace Bailey”.
The Jazz landed the fifth overall pick after their dismal 17-65 season, and after years of falling deeper into a rebuild, Bailey is already showing signs that he could be the team’s ticket out.
Here’s a simple look at Bailey’s progress through the first 14 games and his progress on the field.
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Ace Bailey is improving quickly
First five matches
Due to illness and minor tendinitis in his knee, Bailey missed the final six days of training camp before opening night, and he looked noticeably out of place in his first five NBA games.
The 19-year-old often found himself out of position on both ends of the court, relying on his teammates and coaches to tell him where to be.
AS. BAILEY.
What a first bucket for selection n°5 ✈️ pic.twitter.com/5edyboztX8
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
To make matters worse, Bailey shot just 1-10 in his first two games and never scored more than eight points in his first five appearances.
During that stretch, he averaged 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 25% from the field and 16% from three in 17 minutes per game.
Second four games
After hitting 12 threes in his first five games, Bailey simplified his approach. He relied on his physical tools to score instead of forcing three-point shots.
In Games 6-10, only seven of his 27 field goal attempts came from deep as he focused on finishing near the rim in half-court sets, on offensive rebounds or in transition.
don’t bother Ace, I’m just stealing for a board and a bucket ✈️ pic.twitter.com/a6rXxRiis6
-Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 6, 2025
The adjustment gradually improved his shooting percentages and led to his first double-digit game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in his ninth outing.
In those four games, Bailey averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field and 28 percent from three in 20 minutes per game.
As a starter
When Taylor Hendricks was injured, Bailey entered the starting lineup in his tenth game and saw a major increase in production.
His minutes went from 18.3 per night in his first nine games to almost 24 per night in his next five games.
With more time on the floor, Bailey found his rhythm as a shooter without forcing shots outside of the Jazz’s offense.
Ace with a 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐑-𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 13 points and we’re only in the second quarter 👀🔥#TakeNote | @AiriousB pic.twitter.com/9bx06YyRl5
-Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 12, 2025
With the exception of Sunday’s outing that limited him to five points in 10 minutes, the Rutgers product has scored in double figures in his other four games, including back-to-back 20-point performances against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
Over his last five games, Bailey averaged 13.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field and 37 percent from three.
What have we learned?
Bailey’s growing production as a scorer is impressive, but his instincts stand out even more.
Critics called him a reluctant passer and a bad defender coming out of college, but in 14 games he showed almost the opposite.
Ace Bailey refuted almost every major criticism about him coming out of college with these two plays alone.
🚫Chucker
🚫 Pork ball
🚫 Slow decision maker
🚫 Prefers strong moments over easy play pic.twitter.com/ZMfAclIYbu– Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 14, 2025
His 1.5 assists per game don’t jump out at you, but his ability to read defenses and set up his teammates instead of forcing shots indicates real potential as a playmaker, not just a high-volume scorer.
Defensively, Bailey is still learning NBA schemes, but his effort and competitiveness suggest he can develop into a two-way player with elite length and athleticism.
Overall, Bailey’s first 14 games show a player who is heading in the right direction, a player who brings far more positives than negatives to the field.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m. with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL sports area. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
