Jazz Make Shocking Ace Bailey Decision After Summer League Debut
Ace Bailey's NBA career got off to a rocky start, and not just on the court.
The Rutgers product turned plenty of heads when he declined to work out for multiple lottery teams, and his expression when the Utah Jazz drafted him said a thousand words.
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There were rumors about Bailey not even reporting for training camp, so the Jazz decided to help ease things up by making a few concessions.
Ace Bailey arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.Brad Penner-Imagn Images
They allowed Omar Cooper Jr., the elder son of his agent, Omar Cooper, to be a guest coach for their Summer League team.
That's why the league decided to intervene and, according to ESPN's Tim McMahon, make the Jazz backpedal from this decision:
"The Jazz intended to help ease Bailey's transition to the NBA by having Omar Cooper Jr. -- the son of Bailey's advisor who just finished his career at McNeese State and plans to enter coaching -- serve as an unpaid guest coach during summer league. That plan was called off after the league office contacted the Jazz to raise concerns, sources told ESPN," MacMahon reported.
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Bailey's agent has raised some questions over the past couple of months.
Not only is he not an NBPA-accredited agent, but he also has a history of costing his own son, Sharife Cooper, a lot of money and opportunities in the league.
Bailey struggled in his debut, scoring just eight points on 3-of-13 shooting against VJ Edgecombe and the Philadelphia 76ers. He also grabbed seven boards with one assist and one block.
He was always a bit of a gamble and a long-term bet, but with all the outside noise, he will be under a lot of pressure to prove that he's worth the wait.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
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