The Utah Jazz drafted Ace Bailey fifth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft despite his agent reportedly telling the franchise that he had no intention to play for them. It has since been reported that he will report to the team this weekend ahead of the beginning of Summer League training camp.
Senior NBA writer Marc Spears revealed that the situation reminds him of Stephen Curry's camp telling the Golden State Warriors not to draft him seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.
"Ace Bailey story reminds me about Stephen Curry‘s father and agent asking the Warriors not to draft him in 2009 with the seventh pick so he could go to the Knicks with the next pick," ESPN's Marc Spears tweeted Friday. "Steph also didn’t workout for Warriors. Undeterred Warriors GM Larry Riley drafted Steph anyways."
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Spears noted that Curry reported to the franchise without issue and -- as evident by his four championship rings -- things wound up working out for both sides. Dell Curry, who had a 16-year NBA career of his own, admitted that he told then-Warriors head coach Don Nelson not to draft his son when asked how he would feel about the potential move.
The 1993-94 Sixth Man of the Year had concerns about the losing culture and locker room environment in Golden State. While the Warriors did not turn things around until Steph's fourth season in the league as the roster around him was upgraded, it is nearly impossible to envision them changing their culture if they had passed on the future Hall of Famer.
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