This year’s top rookies Ace Bailey of Utah Jazz and Cooper Flagg of Dallas Mavericks were supposed to put on a show in front of fans for a pre-season game at the Delta Center but the former was forced to leave the game in second quarter.
Jazz confirmed that he suffered knee soreness and was not allowed to return. He played just 11 minutes and posted three points and one minute. His rookie counterpart Flagg, who was picked no. 1 overall, had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Ace Bailey has bilateral knee soreness and will not return tonight. #TakeNote | @kslsports
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 14, 2025
Bailey not returning to the game was not a pleasant sight for Jazz fans. He dazzled everyone in his first pre-season game. He even went toe-to-toe with Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant.
“Dynamic player,” Durant said when asked about the rookie after their game last week.
“I think he’s gonna be a helluva player. I love the coaching staff that he’s with, I love that he got drafted to Utah. Good development program over there… I’m expecting a big year and a big career for him, and tonight he showed what he can do.”
How long will Ace Bailey be out?
Utah still have one pre-season game left. Will the no. 5 pick be there? There’s no certainty yet but head coach Will Hardy confirmed that the injury is not severe.
“He’s got some tendonitis in both knees,” Hardy told reporters after the game.
“It’s nothing that we’re overly concerned with. He’s not going to be getting imaged or anything like that. It’s just trying to take care of him because he was a little sore during his second stint.”
Hardy also expressed admiration about Bailey who was honest about his condition, prompting them to take immediate action instead of aggravating it.
“He was reaching for his knees a little bit and moving a little bit gingerly, and so then the conversation happens,” he said.
“And one of Ace’s best qualities is he’s very honest, so we just felt like tonight it was best to pull him and get some treatment.”
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