Ace Bailey’s bold attempt to climb the draft board backfired, costing him millions. Expected to go 3rd overall, Bailey's strategy of skipping workouts and demanding interview payments led to his fall to the 5th pick by the Utah Jazz.

Ace Bailey has signed his rookie contract with the Utah Jazz. Bailey’s pre-draft process sparked a number of rumors about his interest in coming to Utah when the Jazz took him with the fifth overall pick in last month’s NBA Draft.

Ace Bailey’s attempt to maneuver his way to Washington, New Orleans or Brooklyn backfired when the Jazz selected him with the No. 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The Jazz plan to keep Bailey, according to Givony, even though they were not a “preferred” destination.