Ace Bailey is supposed to make his highly anticipated NBA debut on Wednesday night in the Utah Jazz season opener.
He might not be able to take the court, though.
Bailey is dealing with an illness.
The Salt Lake Tribune’s Andy Larsen shared this on X on Tuesday:
“Will keep an eye on the injury report coming out later today, but it looks possible Ace Bailey misses the Jazz’s home opener tomorrow — not for knee tendinitis, I’m told, but for the flu.”
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Bailey was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Rutgers.
There was some thought before the draft that Bailey might slide further than that. There was also some confusion about whether Bailey would actually show up in Utah to sign with and play for the Jazz.
In the end, a lot of that seemed overblown.
Bailey is an incredibly talented bucket getter at 6-foot-10, and that’s a skill that can’t be taken for granted. He’ll be a big part of the future in Utah.
It just might take a game to get going.
“Jusuf Nurkic referenced Bailey’s sickness at yesterday’s media availability, sounds like he’s missed a few days,” Larsen added on X. “I’m guessing whether or not Bailey plays will be based on whether he’s able to get in a solid practice and shootaround today and tomorrow.”
Jazz fans will await the chance to watch Bailey get out on the court, hopefully sooner rather than later.
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