Latest news with #OmarCooper
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Report: No. 5 pick Ace Bailey plans to report to Jazz Saturday
June 27 - After an unconventional approach to the 2025 NBA Draft that saw his stock take a slight dip to land at No. 5, Ace Bailey will report Saturday to his new team, the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN. "We've had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives," a Jazz representative told ESPN Friday. "We feel good about everything. Ace and his family are coming to Utah tomorrow. We'll have a press conference Sunday and a practice Monday. "This has always been the plan, including for our other rookies, Walter Clayton and John Tonje -- to let them go home and collect their belongings, and then fly right to summer league from Salt Lake City." Bailey took a sometimes confounding and confusing route to Wednesday's draft. A freshman 18-year-old with one season at Rutgers and a McDonald's All-American resume before that, multiple NBA teams attempted to get to know Bailey the player, person and prospect a little bit better in the five weeks leading up to the draft. But Bailey canceled all public workouts with teams, a stance that surprised some established NBA players and may have contributed to Bailey going from being projected in the top three to being taken with the No. 5 pick. However, Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, argued there was "nothing uncommon" about how the pre-draft was handled. "Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago," Cooper said, per ESPN. "He did 18 interviews. Everyone got his medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements. They watched him shoot in drills. "No one said anything when Davion Mitchell canceled a workout with the Toronto Raptors for the No. 4 pick. No one criticized Evan Mobley when he didn't work out for Cleveland, and they drafted him anyway." Utah's decision to pick Bailey is one that Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said was extremely simple despite public concern about Bailey's refusal to work out for teams before the draft. "We do a lot of background calls and work on guys and everyone loves being around Ace," Ainge said. "He's fun, smiles every day. Just a breath of fresh air in the gym. We were able to speak with him. He was super excited. We're super excited. We're expecting a very bright future." A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2024-25 for Rutgers. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey hasn't reported to the Jazz yet amid differing approach from his manager, representation
New Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey appears determined to make himself the second biggest name to come out of the 2025 NBA Draft ... and not in a good way. Bailey's situation got even more cloudy Friday amid reports he has not reported to the Jazz yet. As of Friday morning, Bailey had yet to join his new team, according to That development comes after an unusual draft process, in which Bailey declined to workout with individual teams ahead of the draft. Advertisement Prior to the draft, it was reported that Bailey wanted to land with one of three teams. The Jazz were not one of the team's on Bailey's reported list. Despite that, the team took him with the No. 5 overall pick. After the draft, it was reported that one of Bailey's reps told a team in the top-5 that it should not select Bailey in the draft. It's unclear which team was told to stay away from the Rutgers guard. Bailey was asked about the situation Wednesday. He didn't seem openly angry about it, instead giving a neutral answer and saying, "I can control what I control. How they feel [is] how they feel." The situation has only gotten murkier from there. Following Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft, Bailey's manager, Omar Cooper, declined to comment when asked about the former Rutgers' star's future in Utah. On Friday morning, however, Andrew Witlieb, the president of GSE Worldwide, which represents Bailey, appeared on a Front Office Sports podcast and said Bailey was excited about going to Utah. Advertisement "He's thrilled to be going to Utah," Witlieb said. "Obviously, it's an honor to be selected in the top-5 of the NBA Draft. We think he can do a lot of great things out there." The fact that Bailey had yet to report to the Jazz as of Friday morning isn't necessarily a big deal. Dallas Mavericks No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg waited until Friday to join his new team. It's possible Bailey will report later Friday and put an end to this whole saga. That's the expectation from the Jazz, at least. Team vice president of player development Avery Bradley said he expects all the team's rookies to report on a normal timetable in preparation for Summer League. Bradley didn't specifically say Bailey would report by Friday, just that he was expected to be with the team "this weekend." Advertisement The Jazz's other pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Walter Clayton Jr., has reportedly already joined the team. Who is Omar Cooper? Until Friday, Bailey's relationship with Cooper and GSE Worldwide was also unclear. Some outlets referred to Cooper as Bailey's agent despite reports Cooper is not a certified agent. Witlieb shed some light on that situation during his podcast appearance, referring to Cooper as Bailey's manager. Witlieb said Cooper was focused on finding the best fit for Bailey, and was not necessarily concerned about how high Bailey was picked in the 2025 NBA Draft. "This was led by Bailey's long-time manager, Omar Cooper, who we are partnering on with this. And Omar really focused more on fit rather than going third in the draft kind of thing. He wanted some place where Ace could have the best possible basketball fit for his game. And we think Utah is one of the best places he could have gone." Cooper is listed as the "C.E.O and Founder of LifeStyle Sports Agency" on his Instagram page. A link to the agency's website leads to essentially a "coming soon" page. Advertisement Despite GSE Worldwide officially representing Bailey, Cooper appears to have served as the main point person for a lot of comments and interviews regarding Bailey leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft. If Bailey truly doesn't want to play for the Jazz, he doesn't have many choices. The team reportedly has no interest in trading Bailey after making him the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, per ESPN's Shams Charania. With the Jazz starting Summer League training camp Monday, Bailey still has time to report and change the narrative. If he's not with the team by Monday, however, that could pose some serious problems for him and the team.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey's Draft Drama Escalates As He Wants Nothing To Do With Two Lottery Teams
Ace Bailey's Draft Drama Escalates As He Wants Nothing To Do With Two Lottery Teams originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The 2025 NBA Draft is just hours away, and Ace Bailey, once considered a lock for the top three, has found himself at the center of an escalating drama that's baffling front offices and sparking outrage from former players. Advertisement The 18-year-old phenom has reportedly drawn a hard line: he does not want to play for the Charlotte Hornets or the Utah Jazz, who have the 4th and the 5th pick, respectively. NBA insider Evan Sidery reported that Bailey's camp 'has also let it be known they do not want to be drafted by the Hornets or Jazz. Bailey is trying to force his way to a preferred destination outside the top-five.' That kind of pre-draft maneuvering is rare, especially for a teenager yet to log a single NBA minute. Bailey's draft saga took a sharp turn when he cancelled a scheduled workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team initially expected to take him at No. 3. Advertisement According to reports, Bailey's camp, led by his agent Omar Cooper, demanded a guarantee that the Sixers would draft him. When Philly refused, the workout was abruptly scrapped. The Sixers have since shifted their focus to Baylor's V.J. Edgecombe, leaving Bailey's camp in scramble mode. The deeper issue may be geography. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, 'Multiple league sources said Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, wanted the Sixers to commit to him before his scheduled Friday workout." "One league executive believes that Bailey, once a consensus top-three pick, probably will drop in the draft because of his agency's tactics. Another league executive believes that the agency wants Bailey to remain on the East Coast and play somewhere between Atlanta and New York.' Advertisement In fact, Bailey is now the only American-based prospect in the draft class who hasn't visited any teams for a workout. That strategy has rubbed league insiders the wrong way, and it's affecting his draft stock. Veteran reporter Jeff Goodman revealed that Omar Cooper, notably the father of Sharife Cooper, has reportedly asked to be paid for doing on-camera interviews. 'It just seems as though Ace Bailey has received some poor advice over the past year. He's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.' Former All-Star Paul George didn't mince words on his podcast either. The consequences could be costly. Dropping out of the top five could cost Bailey between $10 and $15 million in guaranteed money. As of now, he's projected to go sixth to the Washington Wizards, a team still rebuilding, but packed with veterans like CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, and Marcus Smart. Advertisement Still, don't be surprised if Bailey drops even further. Or, depending on how you look at it, maybe he lands exactly where he wants to. The New Orleans Pelicans, picking seventh, are reportedly exploring every option to move up and grab him. The Brooklyn Nets (No. 8) and Toronto Raptors (No. 9) also loom as potential destinations. Whether Bailey's gamble ends in regret or genius will become clear soon. But one thing's certain: no player has stirred more pre-draft chaos than Ace Bailey. Related: 9 Blockbuster Trades That Could Happen On 2025 NBA Draft Night This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey's Draft Drama Escalates As He Wants Nothing To Do With Two Lottery Teams
Ace Bailey's Draft Drama Escalates As He Wants Nothing To Do With Two Lottery Teams originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The 2025 NBA Draft is just hours away, and Ace Bailey, once considered a lock for the top three, has found himself at the center of an escalating drama that's baffling front offices and sparking outrage from former players. Advertisement The 18-year-old phenom has reportedly drawn a hard line: he does not want to play for the Charlotte Hornets or the Utah Jazz, who have the 4th and the 5th pick, respectively. NBA insider Evan Sidery reported that Bailey's camp 'has also let it be known they do not want to be drafted by the Hornets or Jazz. Bailey is trying to force his way to a preferred destination outside the top-five.' That kind of pre-draft maneuvering is rare, especially for a teenager yet to log a single NBA minute. Bailey's draft saga took a sharp turn when he cancelled a scheduled workout with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team initially expected to take him at No. 3. Advertisement According to reports, Bailey's camp, led by his agent Omar Cooper, demanded a guarantee that the Sixers would draft him. When Philly refused, the workout was abruptly scrapped. The Sixers have since shifted their focus to Baylor's V.J. Edgecombe, leaving Bailey's camp in scramble mode. The deeper issue may be geography. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, 'Multiple league sources said Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, wanted the Sixers to commit to him before his scheduled Friday workout." "One league executive believes that Bailey, once a consensus top-three pick, probably will drop in the draft because of his agency's tactics. Another league executive believes that the agency wants Bailey to remain on the East Coast and play somewhere between Atlanta and New York.' Advertisement In fact, Bailey is now the only American-based prospect in the draft class who hasn't visited any teams for a workout. That strategy has rubbed league insiders the wrong way, and it's affecting his draft stock. Veteran reporter Jeff Goodman revealed that Omar Cooper, notably the father of Sharife Cooper, has reportedly asked to be paid for doing on-camera interviews. 'It just seems as though Ace Bailey has received some poor advice over the past year. He's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.' Former All-Star Paul George didn't mince words on his podcast either. The consequences could be costly. Dropping out of the top five could cost Bailey between $10 and $15 million in guaranteed money. As of now, he's projected to go sixth to the Washington Wizards, a team still rebuilding, but packed with veterans like CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, and Marcus Smart. Advertisement Still, don't be surprised if Bailey drops even further. Or, depending on how you look at it, maybe he lands exactly where he wants to. The New Orleans Pelicans, picking seventh, are reportedly exploring every option to move up and grab him. The Brooklyn Nets (No. 8) and Toronto Raptors (No. 9) also loom as potential destinations. Whether Bailey's gamble ends in regret or genius will become clear soon. But one thing's certain: no player has stirred more pre-draft chaos than Ace Bailey. Related: 9 Blockbuster Trades That Could Happen On 2025 NBA Draft Night This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Ace Bailey 'focused on basketball' not reports of draft night fall
June 25 - Labels from prima donna to pariah are pushing doubt to the forefront and raising the likelihood teams could pass on Ace Bailey, the Rutgers small forward who had been considered a virtual lock to be selected with one of the top three picks in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday. There is also a chance Bailey, under the direction of agent Omar Cooper, already has a guaranteed ticket to the NBA in the form of a promise from one of the NBA teams with an early selection in the draft. "I'm just working on basketball, that's all I'm focused on," Bailey said during pre-draft media availability in New York on Tuesday. "I can only control what I can control, you can think what you think... I'm focused on basketball." The San Antonio Spurs pick second after Cooper Flagg, all but official as the top pick to the Dallas Mavericks, takes the stage. Only Flagg was ranked ahead of Bailey in the Class of 2024 recruiting rankings. But after the No. 1 pick is made, the chances Bailey is chosen close behind Flagg are open to debate. From there, the clock is ticking on Bailey and his unconventional approach to the draft. A freshman 18-year-old with one season at Rutgers and a Mcdonald's All-American resume before that, multiple NBA teams attempted to get to know Bailey the player, person and prospect a little bit better in the past five weeks. But Bailey canceled all public workouts with teams, a stance that surprised established NBA players such as Paul George. George plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, who have the No. 3 pick in the draft, and doesn't seem to believe the cards are aligned for them to become teammates. "I mean, I think if I'm Ace Bailey I can't get mad if my stock drops," George said on his podcast this week, pointing directly at "people around him" enticing Bailey to call off workouts. "He's canceled all workouts. Like he hasn't worked out for any team. So, I think they made a big deal because we were scheduled to work him out and he canceled the day of," George said in reference to Bailey's canceled workout with the 76ers. "But he hasn't worked out for any team. But you're not in a position to be making those demands. Make it to the league first." Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2024-25. Of course, Bailey will "make it to the league," but general managers are capable of setting the terms on Wednesday. College teammate Dylan Harper, a combo guard and the son of former NBA player Ron Harper, is projected as the likely No. 2 pick by most pundits. Harper said the so-called red flags around Bailey can be lowered and are overblown. "If the energy is down, he's going to bring the energy up. Him in the locker room is probably the best thing that's probably going for him," Harper said. "His energy is contagious and you're going to feel it whether you want to feel it or not." --Field Level Media
