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All eyes were on Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey as he made his NBA Summer League debut on Saturday in Salt Lake.
With the issues that surrounded his approach to the NBA Draft and his reported reluctance to play for the Jazz, many got even more curious to see how Bailey would fare.
While Utah beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 93-89, Bailey had a rather forgettable outing. The fifth overall pick only scored eight points on 3-of-13 shooting from the field in 25 minutes. He grabbed seven rebounds and had an assist, a steal, and a block.
He was outshone by third overall pick VJ Edgecombe, who dazzled for the 76ers with a game-high 28 points on top of 10 rebounds, four assists, a steal, and two blocks.
Despite Bailey's clear struggles, especially with his shot-making, Jazz coach Will Hardy didn't sound too concerned.
“The offense will come. He's learning a new system and new people and has been worked hard the last four days (in practice),” said Hardy in a report from ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
“He's an NBA body and athlete. He's a great teammate too. I've had nothing but positive reviews from all the coaches and his teammates this first week.”
The Jazz are banking on Bailey to provide them with firepower on both ends, especially with his speed and athleticism. The team is coming off an atrocious campaign, finishing last in the Western Conference with a 17-65 record.
Bailey, who refused to work out for the Jazz, is as confident as they come. Sometimes to a fault. But as he grinds his way in the NBA, he'll learn to be more mature. After all, the learning curve is high for the former Rutgers star.
“This two weeks is basically a crash course in the NBA, and when you're coming from the college level, especially as an 18-year-old kid, all those things that have nothing to do with scoring or shooting are way more important to establish to get on the court,” added Jazz assistant coach Scott Morrison, who's calling the shots for the team in the Summer League.
Bailey will have the chance to bounce back versus the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
