Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey has barely stepped on the floor, but head coach Will Hardy already knows what will define his first season.
Hardy emphasized that Bailey’s development will hinge on his daily habits more than anything else, speaking with Andy Larson of the Salt Lake Tribune.
“For Ace, first and foremost, it’s going to be about building a routine,” Hardy said, via the Salt Lake Tribune. “The NBA is a lot. The number of appearances is far more than he used to. That’s practice, shootaround, games, but it’s going to be about sort of him finding his routine, because I think the routine saves you during the season, you don’t have to think that much.”
Bailey, the No. five pick in this year’s draft, only logged two games at the Salt Lake City Summer League before being sidelined with a hip issue.
After a shaky opener, he looked sharper in his second outing. Hardy pointed out that Bailey still flashed areas of promise.
“I think Ace showed he was really active in Summer League,” Hardy said. “He’s a good cutter. He can play in off-ball screens. And then defensively, while his body is continuing to get stronger, it’s going to be about using his length, because I think that is a real strength of his right now. I think that’s how he can survive on the defensive end right now.”
The Jazz have veterans like Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, and Lauri Markkanen on the roster, and Hardy believes that will help Bailey learn how pros prepare for the grind.
With Utah still in rebuild mode, the 19-year-old forward is expected to get plenty of opportunity to show he can be a cornerstone piece.
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