Round 1 of the NBA Draft is in the books. Duke star Cooper Flagg was the obvious No. 1 choice for the Dallas Mavericks, but an intriguing night followed.
Here are five takeaways from Wednesday night’s first round.
The Jazz didn’t back down
Ace Bailey held the cards, and the Utah Jazz called his bluff. The Rutgers star refused individual workouts with several teams, including Utah, and made it known he wanted to play for an East Coast team. Some mock drafts had him falling down to the seventh or eighth pick.
The Jazz took him at No. 5 anyway and now have one of the most talented players in the draft. Will it work out? On the ESPN broadcast, Kendrick Perkins encouraged Bailey to buy in, citing the strong Jazz fan base and the love they will show him if he helps turn the franchise around.
Later in the night, Utah traded to draft Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18.