Latest news with #OmarCooper
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ace Bailey's representatives reportedly told team with top-five pick he would not report if drafted
Ace Bailey's representative reportedly told one team with a top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft that if it selected Bailey, he would not report to them, according to a new story from Jonathan Givony and Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Whether or not they were told that — and despite not working him out — the Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick Wednesday night. It was not a reach by the Jazz — Bailey has arguably the second highest ceiling of any player in this year's draft and Utah needs high-level talent — but the sense in league circles heading into the draft was that Bailey and his representative, Omar Cooper, had a promise and/or were trying to steer the Rutgers star to Washington or Brooklyn. Cooper denied that in the same ESPN report. Advertisement "Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago," Cooper told ESPN. "He did 18 interviews. Everyone got his medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements... There is nothing uncommon about how Ace Bailey's pre-draft process was handled." Bailey, for his part, echoed the same idea at the draft, stating that he was not worried about where he was selected or what people thought about his unusual pre-draft strategy of avoiding workouts. "They feel how they feel," Bailey said. "But my team and me, are focusing on basketball and them doing what they're doing, so it happens." If the report is true, Bailey's options were always limited if a team called his bluff. He can choose not to report to the Jazz (or whoever drafted him), but he cannot return to college after staying in the draft. Additionally, if he plays professionally overseas next season, the Jazz retain his draft rights. The only way to end up with another team is to sit out an entire year, not playing professionally anywhere, then re-enter the draft. However, that is a crap shoot because who knows what the draft order will be a year from now and what team's priorities will be. Advertisement Bailey, a 6'8" wing, was projected as a top-three pick for much of the year. Bailey looks like a prototypical NBA wing on paper: Great positional size, a high-level athlete, high motor, shot 36.7% from 3 in college, can create his own shot, and is a tough shot maker who averaged 18.4 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. However, not all scouts were convinced he would come close to reaching that potential in the NBA. Those concerns, plus his pre-draft strategy of no workouts and some interviews that left teams confused, saw him slide a couple of spots to No. 5, where the Jazz snapped him up before Washington or Brooklyn had the chance. Bailey is likely to make his Jazz debut at the Utah Summer League, which starts on July 5 in Salt Lake City.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Ace Bailey's representatives made shocking NBA Draft request
The post NBA rumors: Ace Bailey's representatives made shocking NBA Draft request appeared first on ClutchPoints. One of the biggest storylines coming into the 2025 NBA Draft was what was happening with Ace Bailey. The Rutgers wing was considered one of the best prospects in the draft, but he barely worked out for any teams in the top five and skipped out on his meeting and workout with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Utah Jazz eventually drafted him with the fifth pick in the draft. Advertisement The Jazz's decision to draft Bailey was a massive shock, considering he did not work out for them during the draft process. To add to Bailey's bizarre pre-draft process, according to ESPN NBA analysts and writers Jonathan Givony and Tim Bontemps, his representatives informed a team in the top five that they did not want that team to draft him and that he would not report to team activities if they did. 'I can control what I can control,' Bailey said, when asked Wednesday night after being drafted, what to say to people who didn't think he was happy winding up in Utah. 'They feel how they feel.' 'But my team and I, me focusing on basketball and them doing what they're doing, so it happens.' Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, pushed back on the notion that anything they did leading up to the draft was out of the ordinary surrounding Bailey. Advertisement 'Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago,' Cooper said. 'He did 18 interviews. Everyone got their medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements. 'No one said anything when Davion Mitchell canceled a workout with the Toronto Raptors. No one criticized Evan Mobley when he didn't work out for Cleveland, and they drafted him anyway.' 'There is nothing uncommon about how Ace Bailey's pre-draft process was handled.' How Bailey and his representatives handled the process made many think they were aiming for a specific destination, most likely the Washington Wizards at the sixth pick. The Wizards had a key opening on the wing that would have fit perfectly for Bailey. However, the Jazz had different plans. Advertisement The Jazz kept their plans quiet until draft day, and they lucked out by selecting Bailey fifth, despite Bailey being a projected top-three prospect most of the draft process. The Jazz had the worst record in the NBA at 17-65, but missed out on the top three due to the lottery. However, despite falling out of the top three, the Jazz picked Bailey, who was massive for them. The Jazz also picked Florida Gators hero Walter Clayton Jr. to round out the first round. Despite the confusion, Bailey stands to benefit in Utah. Related: Jeff Teague drops Donovan Mitchell advice for Ace Bailey on playing for Jazz Related: Jazz, Wizards trade grades for 2025 NBA Draft deal
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jazz rumors: Ace Bailey's Utah arrival confirmed after draft
The post Jazz rumors: Ace Bailey's Utah arrival confirmed after draft appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Utah Jazz picked Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft. However, the selection was not made without drama. According to reports from ESPN, Bailey's agent, Omar Cooper, told one team in the top five to not pick his client. After Jazz and their CEO, Danny Ainge, picked him, though Bailey did not fly with Walter Clayton Jr. to Utah. Advertisement After a day of confusion and concern surrounding the top prospect, the Jazz got some good news. According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Bailey will report to the team on Saturday as they prepare for summer league to begin. He, Walter Clayton Jr., and John Tonje will be a part of that team as Ainge sees what his rookies are capable of. The team was not concerned that Bailey would hold out, according to Givony. 'We've had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives,' one Jazz representative said. '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.' Cooper has gone out of his way to defend how he and his client approached the pre-draft process. Bailey declined workouts with the Philadelphia 76ers before the draft, causing concern around the league. Advertisement 'Every NBA team watched him work out in Chicago,' Cooper said. 'He did 18 interviews. Everyone got his medical. They watched him run and jump. They got his measurements. They watched him shoot in drills. There is nothing uncommon about how Ace Bailey's pre-draft process was handled.' Ainge walked away with a haul after the draft. Bailey, Clayton Jr. and Tonje will join an intriguing young core in Utah. Despite having target teams in mind that did not include the Jazz, the former Rutgers star will not try to fight Ainge anymore. Jazz fans are ready to see what Bailey can bring to their team this season. If he buys into Utah's philosophy, he has as much potential as any other draft pick. Related: Dylan Harper shares another side of Ace Bailey that should excite Jazz fans Related: Jazz rumors: Ace Bailey trade speculation gets shot down by Shams Charania
Reuters
5 days 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
5 days 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.
