Cooper Flagg came away with the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year. Honestly, he deserved it. Having been hyped up as the NBA's next big thing since even before college ball, Flagg looks the part. Know who else looked the part? Ace Bailey, as the Utah Jazz rookie may not have gotten any love for Rookie of the Year, but has a good chance of winning more than Flagg will.
For the record, as far as individual legacies go, the odds tip in Flagg's favor that he will have the better legacy as far as accolades go. He'll be more likely to make more All-Star teams, more All-NBA teams, and may even win an MVP or two than Bailey. However, Bailey is more likely to make an impact in higher stakes quicker and longer than Flagg will.
In other words, Bailey could be a vital cog of a playoff contender as soon as next season. Flagg may very well be on a playoff contender, but when will that be? Despite his presence, Dallas stands as one of the more directionless teams in the NBA until further notice.
Bailey may not boast the same accomplishments that Flagg will when their careers are over - and even so, he has the makings of a franchise cornerstone if all goes well - but he may be able to compensate for that with playoff appearances and championships.
Bailey's present & future with Jazz is unbelievably bright
For the time being, Utah will not count on Bailey to guide them, but he could be the difference-maker in how far they go. By the time they have to decide what their long-term plan is with him and Lauri Markkanen, he should have enough NBA experience, both in the regular season and the playoffs, for him to gladly take the reins if and when they move on from Markkanen in the 2030s.
He may not necessarily be on the same level as Flagg, but it may not matter. The Jazz have a good culture with everything in place to turn into a winner. If Bailey is raised in a winning environment, he can compensate for how he compares unfavorably to Flagg as a player to the winning habits he develops as he gains more experience playing for a playoff team.
That can come quite in handy when going up against Flagg in the future, if and when he starts making the playoffs, potentially years after Bailey does.
Flagg's time is coming in the NBA, but by the time it does, Bailey may be his biggest obstacle in the postseason.
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