Walter Clayton Jr. didn't necessarily want to be a member of the Utah Jazz. The Florida Gator legend curated his predraft process to try to get picked by the Miami Heat, enabling him to stay in the Sunshine State. Utah traded up to grab Clayton, and he is off to Salt Lake City instead.
But both in the moment of getting drafted and in the days since, Clayton has come across as grateful just to have a chance in the NBA. His brand-new teammate, Ace Bailey, can't quite say the same thing.
Utah Jazz fans are going to love Walter Clayton Jr.
Bailey did everything he could to not get drafted by Utah. He intentionally didn't do predraft workouts, and he didn't meet with teams to tank his stock to avoid Charlotte and Utah. The Rutgers forward was hellbent on trying to force his way to Washington, who had the No. 6 pick.
Utah said screw that and drafted Bailey anyway, but his reaction ever since has been anything but excited. When Bailey's name was called at No. 5, he looked shocked, as if he had seen a ghost, that the NBA doesn't work like 2K, where you can pick your team.
But it's not just his expression at the moment that is making him an already unlikeable character in Utah. Whereas Clayton flew out to Utah right away for an introductory press conference and to try and get settled in his new home, Bailey has been dragging his feet.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Utah and Bailey have had minimal contact in the 48 hours since being drafted.
Ultimately, Bailey isn't Clayton's problem to solve, but it does present an opportunity for Clayton. Even though the backcourt for the Jazz is a bit crowded with other young players, Clayton can step in and immediately become the fan favorite in Salt Lake City if Bailey is going to continue his woe-is-me act.
It also highlights the difference in maturity between a player who was a five-star prospect trying to fast-track his way to the NBA, compared to a former zero-star who had to grind his way to the top and eventually win a national title.