Ace Bailey has left a lasting impression this preseason, so much so that one analyst dropped a bold season prediction for the Utah Jazz guard. According to ESPN’s Zach Kram, he won’t be surprised if Bailey leads all rookies in scoring this year.
“Ace Bailey will lead all rookies in scoring. That doesn’t mean he’ll make anywhere near the same all-around impact as Flagg, but as a starter for a bad team with a shoot-first mindset, Bailey will have the opportunity to rack up bushels of points. Bailey’s 45 points across his first two preseason games showed his potential as a first-year scorer,” Kram wrote.
Bailey showcased his elite scoring abilities in his first two preseason games. He dropped 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the field against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. Two days later, he posted 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field against the San Antonio Spurs.
The former Rutgers guard only had three points against the Dallas Mavericks, but he only played 11 minutes. Bailey didn’t play in the Utah Jazz’s preseason finale against the Portland Trail Blazers due to knee soreness.
Utah Jazz News: Will Hardy evaluates Ace Bailey’s first preseason
Will Hardy said that Ace Bailey deserves plaudits for doing well in his first preseason. Besides pointing out Bailey’s obvious scoring chops, the Utah Jazz head coach also praised him for his versatility.
“We’re putting him in spaces he hasn’t been in a ton… But that’s because he’s showing us that he can do those things when we’ve asked him,” Hardy said about Bailey via Eric Spyropoulos of NBA.com.
“It’s a similar experience to Lauri’s first year here. Ace deserves the credit for his ability and willingness to be put in a bunch of different spots and playing with different guys,” he added.
