Utah Jazz's Ace Bailey Slighted in Latest NBA GM Poll

With the conclusion of this year's NBA draft in the books, ESPN suveyed across various NBA executives in league offices to land a bit of a gauge on how the events of the two rounds to unfolded–– taking a look at some of the best picks in the class, from some of the biggest reaches on the board as well.

There was a fair share of notable names voted within the bunch. Cooper Flagg was dubbed the future Rookie of the Year by 17 of 20 voters– good news for the Dallas Mavericks, while Philadelphia 76ers' third-overall pick V.J. Edgecombe rose as the leader for the league's "best pick" in the draft outside of Flagg, logging 10 of 20 total votes.

However, when it comes to Utah Jazz fifth-overall pick Ace Bailey, he didn't find any recognition within the mix, for better or for worse.

Bailey, in ESPN's four categories: Rookie of the Year pick, best pick, biggest reach, and biggest steal, didn't log a single vote among the 20 members of the panel. While for Walter Clayton Jr., had one vote himself for the biggest steal in the draft.

It's a bit of a surprise for a talent like Bailey to come down with zero votes across the national media following his rise this past season as one of the hottest prospects to enter the class, and while he inevitably found his way down to the fifth pick in the draft after a wild pre-draft process, the talent and offensive ceiling he possesses at the next level is undeniable.

For a vote like "future best player" in the class, putting Bailey ahead of names like Flagg, or even a franchise-caliber guard in San Antonio Spurs' Dylan Harper, could be a stretch for now, but we even saw Tre Johnson of the Washington Wizards receive a vote his way for the category. With the right development, there's certainly a world where the new Jazz wing could rise among the top names in the class– it just might take some time to truly pan out.

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ace Bailey stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the fifth pick by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

For Bailey, the mission now becomes proving himself among the top of his class, which starts with an impressive rookie campaign.

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