While everyone expects the first overall pick in any NBA draft to grow into a star, this doesn’t always pan out as they expect it to. However, one pick number — five — has consistently produced Hall of Famers, including the likes of Scottie Pippen, Vince Carter, and Dwyane Wade.
Wade was recently asked to share his thoughts about the Utah Jazz drafting Ace Bailey with the fifth pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
‘Fifth Pick Can Be a Really Good Pick’ — Dwayne Wade Speaks About Utah Jazz Taking Ace Bailey at No. 5
In a podcast released on his YouTube channel last week, Wade said, “History shows you that the fifth pick can be a really good pick. We got some incredible players drafted at that fifth pick that have changed organizations, you know what I mean?
“Kevin Garnett, Charles Barkley, myself, Ray Allen, you know, just some cool names of people who have been drafted and have been Hall of Famers, and so, getting a young guy like Ace Bailey, the talent that he has, you cannot pass them up, yo,” Wade said.
He also explained why the team could not miss out on drafting Bailey despite rumors that he wanted to go to only certain teams: “Even though the rumor mill was saying he wanted to go to certain teams, there’s no way you can pass him up. ‘Cause he’s too talented, he’s one of those guys that just walk in the gym and he can give you 30.”
While Bailey did not take to the floor during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas due to hip flexor soreness, he did play in a couple of games during the summer league in Utah. In his first summer league game, Bailey struggled and scored just eight points on 3-for-13 shooting from the field. However, he made a solid comeback in his second game.
In a 112-111 win against the Memphis Grizzlies, he scored 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting and added seven rebounds and three assists. Unfortunately for Jazz fans, Bailey has not been seen in summer league action since then due to his injuries.
D-Wade will hope that Bailey will join him and several other names, such as Barkley, Garnett, and Pippen, as a No. 5 draft pick in the Hall of Fame. For now, though, he may just want Bailey to be a star so that the Jazz can become a playoff contender soon.