Is Ace Bailey loving Utah? It certainly looks like it

It was a bold decision with a clear belief: The Utah Jazz could win over Ace Bailey. While ESPN was trying to cook up a controversy, likely stemming from a last gasp from Omar Cooper trying to sway …

There was a lot of buzz around Ace Bailey on draft night about where he wanted to go, or, more specifically, where he didn’t want to go on draft night. It was reported that he did not want to go to any of Philadelphia, Charlotte, or Utah. The preferred destination was to the Washington Wizards. Only one of those three teams decided to make the pick, Utah.

It was a bold decision with a clear belief: The Utah Jazz could win over Ace Bailey.

While ESPN was trying to cook up a controversy, likely stemming from a last gasp from Omar Cooper trying to sway Ace Bailey away, Utah was ready to prove it was a blessing in disquise for Bailey.

It’s looking like that’s already working.

Behind the scenes, the Jazz were obviously in discussions with Bailey and his camp and were able to convince them to give Utah a chance. It’s looking like that faith in Utah, a true hidden gem of a place, paid off once again. While not for everyone, a lot of players have found Utah to be not just tolerable, but somewhere they could enjoy and be comfortable. Derrick Favors put it perfectly when he tweeted about his time in Utah.

The Jazz have also done a great job handling this whole situation. From the moment Ace Bailey, alongside his family and management team, stepped off the plane in Utah, they have been welcomed with open arms.

From the moment he stepped off the plane, it was an obvious concerted effort to do everything the Jazz could to make Bailey feel welcome. Not only have they done the bare minimum of embracing his family, they’ve also welcomed his team of managers and colleagues, including Omar Cooper and his son, Omar Cooper Jr. Bailey has been at Summer League Training Camp helping out.

Not only that, Omar Cooper Jr. has been added as a guest coach for summer league.

To some, that might be a little worrisome. There are numerous instances in the NBA where players have exerted too much control over a team due to their management’s influence. But those are almost always situations with a star player. If Bailey becomes a star, that’s a problem worth having. But on top of that, it’s a cool gesture by the Jazz. Cooper Jr. is apparently working towards becoming a coach himself. Utah is giving the Coopers an awesome opportunity to gain experience and be a part of the team.

Those gestures, combined with a belief in their organization and Utah itself, appear to be working. Sarah Todd wrote about Bailey feeling the love from Utah and Jazz fans as soon as he got here:

“I just felt the love soon as I walked through the door,” Bailey said. “I mean, ‘Ace, you need somewhere to eat? Ace! Ace! I can help you!’ It’s just awesome that I’ve got that type of fanbase at the Utah Jazz.”

Bailey went to the Boys and Girls Club and had a blast meeting with the kids, from Todd’s article:

“As soon as I opened the door they were chanting, ‘We want Ace! We want Ace!’ I just loved it,” Bailey said. “That was fun … From them just asking me how tall I am … and they just want a picture and an autograph. It’s just a blessing to be in that position.”

Each day that passes, we see more and more and more reasons to think that the Ace Bailey experience is going well. It’s clear that practices are going well.

Bailey, along with Walter Clayton Jr., has signed his rookie contract.

All of this is to say that the Utah Jazz have done an impressive thing. They were brave enough to make the pick and face whatever issues might happen. But they weren’t just brave enough to do that, they’ve done the work necessary to make the situation as good as possible for Bailey. This confidence in their team, but also the state, will pay off dividends now, but also next year. What if Utah finds itself at the top of the lottery again? There will be no doubt at that point that Utah will make whatever pick they want, and prospects will know that Utah is a place they would be lucky to go to.

Indeed, this is the place … for NBA prospects looking for a great situation.