“Do not go gentle into that good night.” Dylan Thomas wrote these words in his 1951 poem. These words perfectly encompass Ace Bailey’s preseason strides. Last season, Bailey became the talk of the NBA. Though it began with early drama about Bailey allegedly not wanting to play for certain teams, it quickly shifted to how good the young player could become.
The forward had a decent rookie season, averaging 13.8 points, 1.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. However, it wasn’t enough to win over the league. Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg’s dominance took the spotlight. A little bit later, the Jazz earned the second pick and chose Darryn Peterson. Since then, Peterson became the talk of the town in Utah and national outlets (rightfully so).
So, what did Bailey do about this? He honed his body and skills, knowing full well what he can do this season: take a big jump in his game.
Defensive Monster
So far, Bailey is the Jazz’s best defender. He uses his newfound strength and length to wall up on opponents. If they get past him, Bailey uses speed and athleticism to track down the offensive player for a block. He showed this recently in Utah’s opening game against the Memphis Grizzlies. In the first few minutes, Bailey subbed in, and he tracked down Cam Spencer for an incredible block.
He kept offensive players from easy drives to the paint and switched effectively. In a game where most of the Jazz struggled defensively, the forward shined with three blocks. This isn’t a surprise to those who watched Utah preseason hoops. Off the bench, Bailey led the team in steals per game (seven total) and ranked fourth in team blocked shots per game (two blocks).
Cleaning up the Boards
Without Jusuf Nurkic, the Jazz struggle to rebound. Most of their taller players like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jaxson Hayes struggle to pull down a board. Bailey, on the other hand, has channeled his inner Andrei Kirilenko to become a substantial rebounder for the team.
During preseason, the forward technically ranked third in team rebounding. However, first-ranked Kyle Filipowski only played one game. This makes Bailey the second-best preseason rebounder just behind Mo Bamba.
Two games into the regular season, the forward averages six rebounds per game. He pulled down seven major boards in Saturday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans and five against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 21.
Helping His Teammates
In college, Bailey wasn’t known for distributing the ball. That narrative continued through his rookie season, when he averaged just 1.8 assists per game. However, that narrative changed this season. In his first two regular-season games, Bailey now averages 2.5 assists per game. This shows that he’s looking for chances to involve his teammates.
He showed this heightened basketball IQ when he threw a lob pass down the floor to teammate Peterson for an electric dunk against the Pelicans.
A Struggling Shot
While it’s great to see Bailey become a versatile player, the forward still struggles with the one thing he’s known for. Averaging only 9.5 points in preseason and nine in the regular season, Bailey’s shot keeps eluding him (teammate Lauri Markkanen faces a similar conundrum).
This is likely a byproduct of Utah’s players trying to build chemistry and establish a scoring pecking order. This problem should remedy itself because it’s only two games into the season.
More Than a Scorer
With Nurkic out, the Jazz need any ounce of rebounding they can get, and their improving defense needs an established anchor. Bailey’s play is already filling those holes. Though his shot hasn’t arrived yet, the forward needs to make his impact felt through rebounds and defense. If he waits patiently, his shot will come.
Bailey’s efforts will make him a complete player, not just a one-dimensional scorer. So no, Bailey won’t “go gentle into that good night”. He’s only getting started, and soon he’ll be a household name in the NBA.
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