| No. 19 – Utah Jazz | |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2006-08-13)August 13, 2006 (age 19) Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College | Rutgers (2024–2025) |
| NBA draft | 2025: 1st round, 5th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Utah Jazz |
| Playing career | 2025–present |
| Career history | |
| 2025–present | Utah Jazz |
| Career highlights | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Airious "Ace"Bailey (born August 13, 2006)[1] is an American professionalbasketball player for theUtah Jazz of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theRutgers Scarlet Knights. He was a consensus five-starrecruit and one of the top players in the 2024 NBA draft class.
Bailey grew up inChattanooga, Tennessee, and initially attendedBoyd-Buchanan School.[2] After his freshman year, he moved toPowder Springs, Georgia, and enrolled atMcEachern High School.[3] Bailey averaged 22 points, 14 rebounds, three assists and four blocks per game as a junior.[4] He improved his stats to 32.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 blocks per game as a senior. Bailey was selected to play in the2024 McDonald's All-American Game,Jordan Brand Classic andNike Hoop Summit during his senior year.
Bailey was a consensus five-starrecruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class, according to major recruiting services.[5][6] On January 15, 2023, he committed to playingcollege basketball forRutgers over offers fromOhio State,Kentucky,Kansas,Texas andOregon.[7][8] Bailey signed aNational Letter of Intent to play for the Scarlet Knights on November 12, 2023, during the early signing period.[9][10]
| Name | Hometown | School | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Bailey SG /SF | Chattanooga, TN | McEachern (GA) | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | Jan 15, 2023 | |
Recruit ratings:Rivals:  247Sports: On3: ESPN: (97) | ||||||
| Overall recruit ranking: Rivals: 2 247Sports: 2 On3: 2 ESPN: 2 | ||||||
Sources:
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Bailey became the highest-ranked recruit inRutgers program history.[11][12] After missing the first two games due to injury, he made his college basketball debut on November 15, 2024, scoring 17 points and adding six rebounds, two steals, and one block in a win overMonmouth.[12][13] On November 20, he recorded his first careerdouble-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds againstMerrimack.[14] Bailey earnedBig Ten Freshman of the Week honors (alongsideBraden Smith andKasparas Jakucionis) following his career-high 39-point performance againstIndiana on January 2, 2025.[15][16] On January 19, he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second time after leading the team to a 2–0 week and topping the scoring charts with two double-doubles: 20 points and 10 rebounds againstUCLA, and 24 points with 11 rebounds againstNebraska.[17]
At the conclusion of his freshman year, Bailey declared for the2025 NBA Draft on April 23, foregoing his remaining college eligibility. He finished his collegiate career having earned Third-Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors.[18][19]
Bailey was selected with the fifth overall pick by theUtah Jazz in the2025 NBA draft.[20] On July 2, he signed with the Jazz withWalter Clayton Jr.[21]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | Rutgers | 30 | 30 | 33.3 | .460 | .346 | .692 | 7.2 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 17.6 |
Bailey's mother, Ramika McGee, played college basketball atWest Virginia University.[22] Bailey's father, Richard Bailey, played college basketball at Houston. His aunt,Venus Lacy, played in theWNBA and was a member of Team USA's1996 Olympic team that won a gold medal.[23]
· Basketball Reference