Utah Jazz F Ace Bailey Falls on Latest NBA Rookie Ladder

It looks like Utah Jazz fifth-overall pick Ace Bailey has dropped a couple of spots in the official NBA rookie ladder.

Per Steve Aschburner's Kia Rookie Ladder via NBA.com, Bailey wound up falling from ranked number seven to nine amongst this year's rookie class, as Dallas Mavericks' top pick Cooper Flagg found his way atop the list.

"Another rookie whose move into the starting lineup has made a big difference. Off the bench for his first nine games, Bailey averaged 5.9 points on 6.5 field-goal attempts, shooting 33.9% and 22.1% on threes. As a starter over the past 14 games, he has put up 13.1 ppg on 10.5 shots while making 49% (40%). Playing with four other starters has improved his plus/minus from a -10.9 nightly to -1.7."

Ace Bailey Ranks Ninth on NBA Rookie Ladder

Two names wound up surging past the Jazz rookie in the newest batch of rankings: Bailey's former Rutgers teammate and second-overall pick, Dylan Harper, and surprisingly, undrafted Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard, giving Dallas two players in the top ten.

Bailey, while he could certainly present a bit better efficiency on the offensive end, and will likely need a bit more on a numbers-basis in order to keep climbing up the ladder against a bunch of first-year players, has still shown a nice batch of positive traits in his initial sample size on the floor for the Jazz to offer a ton of optimism for what's ahead.

Dec 4, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talk with Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) against the Brooklyn Nets during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

He's had the flashes of shot-making ability and has shown the upside of being a quality offensive wing, has the length to develop into a versatile impact player on the other end, and it seems like every time he's touched the floor– especially since becoming a starter– those glimpses of being a star pop up at least once a gaime.

Consistency is the name of the game, so the more opportunities that Bailey can find his way, and the more the Jazz involve him on the offensive end, the better his first-year campaign is bound to look. But so far, it's hard to hate what he's shown in the first couple of months, which has helped keep him cemented in the top 10 of the rookie ladder thus far.

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