Jazz Rookie Ace Bailey Showcases Defensive Prowess in Loss to Sixers

The 5th overall draft pick followed up a career-best offensive performance with an impactful defensive game.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 5:50am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ace Bailey, the Utah Jazz's rookie forward, had a standout performance in the team's 126-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. After scoring a career-high 33 points in the previous game, Bailey made his presence felt on the defensive end, recording a career-high 5 blocks in just 3 quarters of play. Head coach Will Hardy praised Bailey's defensive growth, noting that he has improved more on that end of the floor than offensively since joining the team.

Why it matters

Bailey's ability to impact the game on both ends of the court is an exciting development for the Jazz, who are looking to build a versatile, defensive-minded team for the future. His combination of size, length, and athleticism gives the team a valuable two-way player that they have lacked in recent years.

The details

In the loss to the Sixers, Bailey finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, but his 5 blocks were the standout statistic. He joked about trying to catch teammate Walker Kessler's career-high of 8 blocks, showing his competitive spirit. Head coach Will Hardy believes Bailey has grown more defensively than offensively since joining the team, praising his ability to cover ground and guard the ball.

  • On Thursday, March 20, 2026, Bailey scored a career-best 33 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.
  • On Saturday, March 22, 2026, Bailey recorded a career-high 5 blocks in the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The players

Ace Bailey

A 5th overall draft pick by the Utah Jazz in 2025, Bailey is a rookie forward known for his offensive ability and growing defensive impact.

Will Hardy

The head coach of the Utah Jazz, who has praised Bailey's defensive development and believes he has improved more on that end of the floor than offensively.

Nick Nurse

The head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, who acknowledged Bailey's high-volume 3-point shooting ability ahead of the game against the Jazz.

Jusuf Nurkić

A Jazz teammate of Bailey's, who the rookie joked with about trying to catch his teammate Walker Kessler's career-high of 8 blocks.

Walker Kessler

A Jazz teammate of Bailey's, who holds the team's career-high of 8 blocks in a game, a mark Bailey was trying to catch.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Obviously, he's not afraid to shoot, not afraid to shoot high volume 3s. He got 19 of them up the other night... I think it goes back to his ability, with his length and his size and his release and all that stuff that he can actually find those and get them up.”

— Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach

“Shoo! I might be a big. I already told Nurk (Jusuf Nurkić) and Walker (Kessler). I was just talking to Walk and he said I've got three more to catch him.”

— Ace Bailey

“With the team we're looking to have, being a defender, it's gonna be a very big role, especially if you wanna stay on the court, and if you wanna win you've got to, and I want to win, so I have to play offense and defense.”

— Ace Bailey

“I think he's grown more defensively than offensively. It's harder to discuss an individual's defense in these settings, because there are fewer things that you can really measure. You know, tonight we're talking about it because he had five blocks...but Ace is an incredible athlete, and it's not just offensively. Like, his ability to cover ground and close out his ability to guard the ball...I truly believe that he's grown more on the defensive side of the ball than he has offensively.”

— Will Hardy, Utah Jazz Head Coach

What’s next

The Jazz will look to bounce back from this loss when they host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, March 25, 2026.

The takeaway

Ace Bailey's defensive development is an exciting sign for the Jazz, who are building a versatile, two-way team for the future. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor gives the team a valuable asset as they look to return to contention in the Western Conference.