Utah Jazz F Ace Bailey Climbs Into Top 10 of NBA Rookie Ladder

The Utah Jazz's fifth-overall pick from this summer has officially risen into the conversation of being one of the more productive rookies in the first three weeks of the NBA season.

In the newest NBA Kia Rookie Ladder stacking up the best first-year talents in the league thus far, Ace Bailey found his way into the top ten rookies for the first time this season, filling into the number nine slot–– in large part thanks to a positive recent week of games.

"There’s a Jazz pattern for that team’s rookies, a slower ramping-up than what new guys on many other teams face," Steve Aschburner of NBA.com wrote.

"Last year, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski improved as the season got deeper. Bailey is already earning longer looks … and it shows. From 4.6 ppg in 17.4 minutes in his first seven appearances, he has boosted his output to 12.8 in 24.3, including 20 points against the Pacers on Tuesday."

Ace Bailey Ranks 9th in NBA Rookie Ladder

Nov 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) screens Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and allows Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey (19) to dribble past during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Due to an illness and some rough shooting nights to start off, Bailey looked shaky in his initial reps on the floor for Utah. He certainly had some nice flashes during his preseason slate of games, yet after shooting a collective 33.9% from the field after nine games of the regular season, the questions started to buzz of when the Jazz rookie would be able to flip the switch.

But Bailey was finally able to navigate his way into the Jazz starting lineup after a slow start to his rookie campaign, and in the process, wound up taking that opportunity in stride.

In the two games he's been a starter, Bailey has averaged 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field and 36.4% from three. It's a small sample size, but compared to how his year started coming off the bench, he's put together some vast improvements.

Bailey also comes fresh off a career-best night against the Indiana Pacers, collecting a career-best 20 points with four rebounds and an assist en route to a dominant win, 152-128, and now, could have the hot hand moving forward to keep his progression trending in the right direction.

Ace Bailey is BALLING vs. Indiana tonight 📈

20 points (17 in 1H)
7-12 shooting
4 triples
1 buzzer-beater

He set a new season-high for scoring... in the first half! pic.twitter.com/VN9E4XsEAQ
— NBA (@NBA) November 12, 2025

The offense is finally coming together for the budding versatile forward, and in the eyes of Jazz head coach Will Hardy, shows that Bailey is simply getting better every time he steps on the floor.

If Bailey keeps up that same level of offensive prowess in the games ahead, it'll be hard to keep him stuffed down the rookie leaderboard, one that's currently spearheaded by Charlotte Hornets' fourth-overall pick, Kon Knueppel, the name taken just one spot ahead of the Jazz in this summer's draft.

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