Rutgers star Ace Bailey didn’t have to wait long for his name to be called by Adam Silver. Bailey was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. Bailey joins a young Utah team looking to exit the doldrums of the standings in the Western Conference.
In the era of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, it is fair to wonder if a star college player like Bailey will be taking a pay cut by going from college to the NBA. Bailey already has a strong relationship with Nike that will carry over to the league, but is it more than his likely rookie contract with the Jazz?
Ace Bailey Headed for a Pay Raise
Ace Bailey’s NIL portfolio is not as expansive as some others like Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who was drafted number one overall. Bailey has two sources of NIL income heading into the NBA.
The first is Knights of the Raritan, which is a collective group that helps student athletes with various deals and advertising spots. The second is Nike, which signed the young star late in 2024 to be one of the faces of its next generation with the promise of a future shoe deal.
The estimated worth of Bailey’s NIL deals is in the vicinity of $1.6 million. He is certainly going to experience a pay raise as he enters the NBA. The NBA uses a descending rookie pay scale, meaning that the lower a player is selected, the lower their yearly salary. In addition, these deals are typically set for three years with a fourth-year team option.
The deals also have a range of 80-120% of the rookie scale, a measure that allows teams that are up against the luxury tax to more easily maneuver when signing rookies.
With the 5th pick of the NBA Draft the @utahjazz select Ace Bailey (@AiriousB)!
2025 #NBADraft presented by State Farm LIVE on ABC & ESPN! pic.twitter.com/oxMD7wulTq
— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2025
Since Bailey was selected fifth overall, Bailey is set to make in the vicinity of $6.8 million in his first season. This is a substantial pay bump over what he earned while in college. That deal will increase over the next two years with an estimated $7.2 million and $7.5 million, respectively.
With the combination of his rookie NBA salary, his ongoing Nike partnership, and potential signature shoe, it’s safe to say that Ace Bailey is going to do very well for himself financially. What remains to be seen is how his talent will translate to the court in Salt Lake City.
