There might have been more buildup for Sunday’s news conference than any other in the Utah Jazz’s Ainge era.
After all, Ace Bailey, the team’s 18-year-old star prospect, taken at No. 5 in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, was rumored not to be excited about landing in Utah. ESPN reported that it was not one of his “preferred destinations” and later stoked rumors with a report that Bailey’s camp had told one unnamed team in the draft’s top five that he wouldn’t report if selected.
But this weekend, Bailey came to Utah on schedule, along with his new rookie teammates Walter Clayton Jr. and John Tonje.
And in the end, Bailey answered the most pressing question — “Was there any point that you considered not coming to Utah?” — with a straightforward “No.”
“No, not at all. I mean, just blessed to be in this position. Not a lot of people sit in these chairs and have great teammates as I got on (here),” Bailey said from the dais. “So I’m just blessed to be here.”
Bailey’s family, his dog (a puppy named Halo, who wore a Jazz bandana) and yes, his manager Omar Cooper, who reportedly steered teams in the draft’s top five not to take the Rutgers product, all attended Sunday’s news conference in Salt Lake City.
The Jazz’s front office leaders confirmed that they had indeed largely kept Bailey’s representation in the dark about their interest — not to worry Bailey, but to make it more likely that he would be available at No. 5.
But sources indicate that the relationship between Cooper, Bailey, and the Jazz’s front office was in a good place as of this weekend.
On Saturday, Bailey got off the plane — his first time in Utah ever — and immediately noticed the scenery. “I didn’t think the mountains was real,” Bailey said. “I mean, it was so beautiful.”
Bailey then headed to the Jazz’s practice facility, with Cooper working with him on his first touches in the Zions Bank Basketball Campus. Then, the group of players and their representatives went to dinner together on Saturday night.
Ace Bailey poses for a photo with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected fifth by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Now, real work begins. The Jazz’s first summer league practice is Monday, with Bailey slated to participate in both the Salt Lake City Summer League from July 5-8, and the NBA’s summer league in Las Vegas beginning July 10. Bailey said he anticipates working out in Utah for much of the summer — if needed, bringing his group to Utah — but will also work out closer to his home base.
“We haven’t done the full plan yet, but there’ll be some of each,” Jazz President of Basketball Operations Austin Ainge said of Bailey’s summer plans.
What does Bailey think he can bring to the Jazz in his rookie season?
“I got great energy. I mean, I can do everything from rebounding, from defense to scoring to passing,” Bailey said. “So I say I could bring a lot in different ways.”
Meanwhile, fellow draftees Clayton and Tonje joined Bailey on the dais, and also expressed excitement about joining the Jazz and beginning their NBA careers.
Clayton, who told media he prefers to be called “Walt” over “Walter,” could have been one of the beneficiaries of the trade the Jazz agreed to on Sunday, sending Collin Sexton to Charlotte in exchange for backup big man Jusuf Nurkic.
In general, though, Clayton downplayed his chances of making an immediate impact for the Jazz.
“We got a lot of great guards here, a lot of guys that can be on the floor. So definitely, there’s some work to be put in still,” he said.
When a TV reporter suggested the nickname “Walt Lake City,” the former Florida guard joked, “We’ve got a little bit more work to put in before we start that.”
Tonje was asked about his final collegiate game, a round of 32 loss to BYU in the NCAA tournament. He said it was a topic of discussion at Saturday’s dinner, as well. “I asked them a couple questions last night about BYU,” Tonje said. “I hate that I had to lose to them, but it’s all love now.”
So, yes, the rookies say they’re all eagerly awaiting the beginning of their NBA careers in Utah. The feeling is mutual from the Jazz’s front office as well.
“We’re so pumped. This was a dream scenario for us,” Ainge said. “These are guys we targeted before the draft with high potential, high character, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
