Rookie Ace Bailey reflects on his first week of NBA training with the Utah Jazz, highlighting the learning curve, veteran mentorship, and his eagerness to absorb knowledge, impressing teammates and coaches with his energy and willingness to learn.
SALT LAKE CITY — If basketball doesn't work out, Ace Bailey might have a future in voice acting.Bailey broke into his best old man impression while describing how he pictured his first days in the NBA .
"You would think the veterans , 'I've been here 20 years, rook,'" he mimicked in a low, slow voice. "But they actually pour into the young guys. They give it back."And there's been a lot to receive for Bailey and fellow first-round draftee Walter Clayton Jr. From the pace of play to the finer points of positioning, the jump from college to the pros has been an adjustment.For Bailey, the 19-year-old bundle of energy, the experience has been both humbling and thrilling."A lot of learning, a lot of mess-ups, but it's fun," Bailey said with his now-trademark enthusiasm. "Everybody's having fun, enjoying it."So what has he picked up in his first week of NBA practices?"If you asked me in college how to rebound from a corner, I couldn't tell ya," he said with a smile. "I can tell you now that it's better to go on the top side. But it's a lot of stuff I'm learning that I never knew would be important to the game of basketball, so that's a good thing."His eagerness to soak up knowledge has stood out to his teammates and coaches. He hasn't been afraid to ask for help — peppering coaches and veterans with questions during practices."He's willing to learn, and that's what's most important," Kyle Anderson said. "Obviously, he's a really good player. He can get out in transition and score; he's a good shooter, he's a great basketball player. He knows what he's doing, but he's also an open book."And, it seems, an unlimited source of energy. Ace Bailey high-fives a student as the Utah Jazz surprise the students of East High School with a scrimmage in their gym in Salt Lake City, on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. "He's made as many energy plays at practice as anybody," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "Crashing, couple of tip dunks, offensive rebounds, deflections, defensively, he's flying around. But his attitude and personality is something that I'm excited for our fans to see on the court, because it's so authentic."And as the days have gone by, he's beginning to grasp the NBA game, too."Stuff is starting to slow down for me, so that's a good thing," he said.For Clayton, though, it's been about speeding things up."I think
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