Paul George counted himself as one of Ace Bailey’s detractors in the pre-draft process.
Now, the NBA star has changed his mind on the Utah Jazz rookie.
“I want to retract what I said. How can we get on a kid who knows what he wants?” George said this week on his “Podcast P” show. “We aren’t in his shoes. He wants to do it his way. He’s good enough and he’s got the talent.”
Bailey became one of the draft’s biggest stories before he landed in Utah with the fifth pick. He reportedly declined to work out with any team in the process, trying to guide himself to one of his “preferred destinations” where he could be the top scoring option.
George, who plays for the 76ers, said Bailey canceled his workout with Philadelphia the day it was scheduled.
Previously, George said Bailey and his representatives had mishandled the situation.
“You’re not in position to be making those demands. Make it to the league first,” he said earlier. “I don’t think they are going about it the right way.”
George believed teams would pass on drafting him after declining workouts. Bailey was widely viewed as a top-three player in the draft but fell to Utah at No. 5.
“This is a business. If I am going to put my money behind you, I need to know you are going to represent us well. And it is almost a ‘Me before the team’ before you are on the team,” George said.
But after watching Bailey’s brief stint in summer league, George came around.
“It could have backfired, but it didn’t,” George said this week. “He’s still in a great situation and he still gets to show what he can do. He had a great game two [in summer league]. He went crazy. Showed his potential.”
Bailey had 18 points against Memphis in Salt Lake, but did not play in Las Vegas.
“I hate being that person, ‘Oh you should have done this. You should have did that.’ Everybody has their own path,” George finished. “However you want to trail blaze it, that is on you. He is a young kid and he will find his way. It’s dope when you can make your own path.”
