Ace Bailey is the most prized pick the Utah Jazz have had in years. He hasn't had the most impressive season for a Jazz rookie, but the amount of talent he possesses is obvious. Still, though, Bailey is clearly being handled with kid gloves, and former NBA player and NCAA Champion Rashad McCants believes he's not getting an adequate chance to prove himself.
In an exclusive interview with The J-Notes, McCants discussed how the top NBA prospects coming out of this year's draft class are getting the opportunities to show themselves because nothing is holding them back.
"They're going through the one-and-done thing. Even a guy like Cooper Flagg, who last year, I believe, was mediocre, but he's always been talented potential, and so he's able to flourish now with the Mavericks, (they) give him the opportunity to play and gain confidence. All of these guys are under the same umbrella. They're all playing mediocre, whether they're putting up numbers or not, but they're able to show that their talent and their potential can gain traction if they get the right opportunities," McCants said.
He also noted that, by the same logic, Bailey isn't getting the same opportunities as his notable former teammate because of the Jazz's tanking.
"You look at a guy like Ace Bailey in comparison to Dylan Harper. Ace is with the Utah Jazz, who are currently tanking. He doesn't get to showcase his ability to the utmost because he's not in the winning situation. Dylan Harper, on the other hand, he's showing that he's a very viable piece, and he has an upside that is very tremendous. And so you look at the dynamic of where you go, that's all going to be based on how you perform."
It is funny to compare the two because they landed in completely different situations, where the Jazz have given Bailey plenty of time to get comfortable, Harper has been thrown to the wolves in part because the Spurs are suddenly among the best teams in the NBA.
Last night's Jazz game kinda proves McCants right
The Jazz lost to the Rockets last night, which is understandable, as Houston is fighting for the best playoff spot possible while the Jazz are fighting for the best lottery odds possible. However, during a game in which Keyonte George, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic all didn't play, Bailey had the fifth-most shots out of all the active Jazzmen.
It makes sense if Lauri Markkanen (23 field goal attempts) and Brice Sensabaugh (15) have more shots than Bailey, as they are offensive hubs who are looking to score, but Isaiah Collier (16) and Kyle Filipowski (10) getting more shots? Adding insult to injury is that Kevin Love took only one fewer field goal attempt than Bailey.
It's not like Bailey was on a hot streak or anything, as he shot two-for-nine from the field, but with the Jazz folding this season, what can excite fans from here on out is seeing what Bailey can do once he's given a bigger role.
He's recently garnered comparisons to Ray Allen, a lofty comp all things considered, and while it's not exactly realistic to believe Bailey will follow in Allen's footsteps, the only way to find out just how good Bailey is is to give him the green light.