Jason Terry compares Ace Bailey to Ray Allen in one unique way

Jason Terry knows a thing or two about excellence as a shooter.

The longtime NBA veteran played 19 seasons in the league, winning Sixth Man of the Year honors during the 2008-09 season. Terry finished his career shooting 38.0% from beyond the arc, shooting a career-high 43.8% from 3-point range during the 2006-07 season as the Dallas Mavericks posted a league-best 67-15 record.

Terry currently serves as an assistant coach for Utah Jazza role he has played since the 2022-23 season. One of the most popular in jazz promising young player is none other than Ace Baileywho was their top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.Bailey was selected with the fifth overall pick in the draft after averaging 17.6 points per game during his only season at Rutgers.

During the first half of the season, the 6-foot-9 Bailey played a key role in the rotation for the Jazz, averaging 11.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 49 games and 38 starts. Terry has high hopes for Bailey, even comparing him to a Hall of Fame guard Ray Allen when it comes to his quick release.

Allen was a 10-time All-Star who is considered one of the greatest 3-point shooters ever.

“There’s no limit to Ace Bailey because he’s a blank canvas,” Terry said in a one-on-one interview. “He’s only 19 years old. He comes in. He’s raw, but he’s got great athleticism and his ability to shoot — he can be one of the great long-range shooters, when it’s all said and done. He’s got a quick release, and he gets it off. He gets it off quick, kind of like Ray Allen, like Ray Allen shot that far. He’s made it. He shuts it down pretty quick.”

So far this season, Bailey is making 45.0% of his attempts and 34.0% of his 3-point shots. Terry said what Bailey will excel at when it comes to his 3-point attempts is “coming off screens on pin-downs” and shooting threes in transition.

Bailey clearly has a long way to go before he was even considered in the same league as Allen, but he’s getting key playing time as part of Utah’s rebuilding effort. The 19-year-old ranks fourth in points and fifth in three-pointers on the Jazz.

Additionally, Bailey only spent one year in college. Furthermore, he will have all the time in the world to develop with Utah clearly in rebuilding mode. At 18-38, they are currently 13th in the Western Conference after posting an NBA-worst 17-65 record last season.

The sky is certainly the limit for the 6-foot-9 small forward.