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Utah Jazz's fifth overall pick Ace Bailey made his Summer League debut against Philadelphia 76ers' third overall pick V.J. Edgecombe, and gave a special shoutout to his mom at outset of his NBA career. The 18-year-old standout finished with a modest eight points on 3-of-13 shooting and seven rebounds. Still, at the beginning of his career, Bailey reflects on life's changed for him and his mother.
Entering the NBA as a raw teenage phenom, Bailey looked back on the days he'd ask his mom for money, and how things have vastly changed over the past two years, per The Athletic's Tony Jones.
“What I know is that I want to be the best,” Bailey said. “If you want to be the best, you’re just not going to be able to do that overnight. You have to work at being the best. I love basketball. It’s my escape. I know we didn’t have everything growing up, but my mom made sure that we had the stuff that we needed.
“Seeing her make sacrifices, a lot of parents wouldn’t do that. She always made sure that we were first. So, I told her that I was going to take care of her,” Bailey concluded.
It's the moment every young prospect dreams of, hearing their name called as a top pick in the NBA Draft, as Bailey and his mom, begin a new life.
“Of course, you have to be aware of the business side of basketball,” Bailey said. “But I didn’t ask for all of this to come with it. I just want to hoop. I want to keep the main thing the main thing and stay focused. During pre-draft, I was surrounded by family and love. I’m big on family and loyalty. They were there for me even before I was Ace Bailey.”
Bailey's four-year rookie deal is valued at just over $41 million with first season worth just over $9 million, and team options on the final two seasons.
Jazz's Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe clash in Summer League debuts
Jazz's fifth overall pick Ace Bailey faced off against VJ Edgecombe, the 76ers' third overall pick, in their Summer League debuts. Amid Bailey's offensive struggles, Edgecombe went off for 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists against Bailey and the Jazz.
Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, many predicted the 76ers to take Bailey at No. 3 before the Sixers balked and selected Edgecombe instead. It's a head-to-head comparison that will most likely follow Bailey and Edgecombe in the first few seasons of their NBA careers.
