Will the strong melon be sweet? Bailey: I feel lucky to be in the current position

Although the outside world previously believed that the Jazz was not the first choice for Ace Bailey to start his NBA career, Bailey said on Sunday that when the Jazz selected him with the No. 5 pick, he never considered refusing to register or forcing the team to trade. Bailey was previously criticized for refusing to try out for an interested team before the draft, but he still reported to Utah as required. When asked at the press conference whether he could not consider coming to Salt Lake City, he only expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Jazz.

"I feel very lucky to be in my current position." Bailey said. Before the draft, Bailey canceled a scheduled trial with the Philadelphia 76ers and rejected a trial invitation from the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz. But that didn't stop the Jazz from picking him with a lottery. The Jazz bets that the 18-year-old can unlock potential and grow into a high-yield scorer.

Joined the Jazz with Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr., and John Tunger No. 53, both of whom are also high-level scorers. "This is the ideal situation for us," said Austin Angie, president of Jazz Basketball Operations. "These are high-potential, high-quality players we locked in before the draft, and we are very excited about it. "

Angie believes that these three rookies are all versatile players who can make an impact on the defensive end. "These players can play on both sides of the offense and defense," Angie said. "We are looking for the best combination of skills. Of course, they can also throw the ball into the basket. "

Before sliding to the Jazz, the mock draft generally believed that Bailey was the top three pick. The 6-foot-8-inch striker has comprehensive offensive capabilities. At Rutgers, Bailey demonstrated his ability to dribble, step back jump shots and hit the inside.

In his only season with Scarlet Knights (Rugs University), he averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Bailey also opened the defense with a three-point shooting range, with a three-point shooting percentage of 34.6%, providing a supplement to the inside offense.

"I'm full of energy," Bailey said. "From rebounding to defense, from scoring to passing, I can do it. So I can say I can contribute to the team in many ways. " However, concerns about his scoring efficiency, possession, passing, defensive strength and maturity caused Bailey to fall out of the top three picks. He longs to prove that the Jazz’s choice is correct.

"I believe in my efforts," Bailey said. "I spent countless hours in the arena for everything I did. So I believe in this. Everyone makes mistakes, and God is not here to be perfect. So I only believe in myself, believe in my growth process. "