Ace Bailey didn't expect to hear his name called by the Utah Jazz with the No. 5 overall pick on Wednesday night in Brooklyn. Leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft, reports suggested that neither Utah nor Charlotte -- which held the No.

In the end, though, his slide didn't last too long, as the Utah Jazz scooped him up at No. 5, taking a chance on the best player on the board despite Bailey clearly having a different destination in mind. And it might be the best thing to happen to him.

Ace Bailey was a very popular name leading up to the start of the 2025 NBA Draft. The former Rutgers star had no-showed a few pre-draft workouts, leading many to believe that he was attempting to dictate where he would be selected in the draft.