Ace Bailey and his agent, Omar Cooper, appear intent on creating controversy. Cooper had allegedly threatened the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers, who had top picks in the 2025 NBA draft, not to draft Bailey.
Unfortunately for Bailey, the Utah Jazz, who selected the Rutgers star with the fifth overall pick, dashed their hopes of landing with the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, or Brooklyn Nets. Bailey, who was a consensus top-three pick in early draft predictions, had not worked out for many NBA teams, seemingly to avoid being drafted early.
His agent likely influenced his decision. Still, when the Jazz picked him fifth, Bailey showed professionalism despite appearing disappointed. However, Cooper did not say much about Bailey’s future with the Jazz.
Ace Bailey Isn’t in Utah Yet
Now, reports have emerged that Bailey has not traveled to Salt Lake City with Walter Clayton Jr., the Wizards’ 18th pick, who was traded to the Jazz.
“The Jazz were very excited to welcome him to Utah over the weekend and that hasn’t happened yet. So he did not go there. Their other first-round pick, Walter Clayton Jr., flew to Utah on Thursday and is getting ready to go,” NBA insider Brian Windhorst said.
Ace Bailey did not fly with fellow first-round pick Walter Clayton Jr. to Utah after being drafted, per @WindhorstESPN.
Bailey is expected to show up in Salt Lake City by Monday.
If he doesn’t show, Bailey could be holding out from the team. pic.twitter.com/JVGfXa0wVT
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 27, 2025
“Ace Bailey did not and there’s been minimal contact with him and the team. There’s not a crisis yet. What the Jazz are saying is, he’s not expected in Utah until the weekend and really what he needs to do is be there by Monday when their training camp for Summer League,” Windhorst added.
NBA Insider’s Prediction on Bailey’s Standoff with the Jazz
National Basketball Association insider Brian Windhorst does not believe the Jazz will budge on Bailey and Cooper. Speaking on Mike Greenberg’s “Get Up” show on ESPN, Windhorst did not mince words when asked what would happen if Bailey did not report to the Jazz.
“They will absolutely not budge on this and eventually, Ace Bailey is going to be a Utah Jazz. We’ll just see how long it takes for him and his representation to figure that out,” Windhorst said.
The 47-year-old pointed out that no team would budge if they faced a similar scenario. He is confident that the Jazz hold the upper hand and does not see team CEO Danny Ainge budging.
The insider also noted that the Jazz does not need to consider whether Bailey or any other player likes to play in Utah. He said the Jazz’s primary objective is to draft and develop players, so they selected Bailey despite him not working out for the team.
“They will absolutely not budge on this and eventually, Ace Bailey is going to be a Utah Jazz. We’ll just see how long it takes for him and his representation to figure that out.”
—@WindhorstESPN on the Jazz drafting Ace Bailey pic.twitter.com/bzDivNnzG2
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 27, 2025
What Bailey and his agent decide remains to be seen. The 18-year-old has the talent to succeed in the NBA, but many have pointed out Cooper’s unhealthy control over him.
Bailey’s draft night interview with ESPN’s Monica McNutt featured no family members. Moreover, there are rumors that Cooper demanded payment for Bailey’s interviews while Bailey was in college.
In his freshman year with Rutgers University, Bailey played in 32 of the team’s 32 games, starting all of them. Despite his team’s 15-17 win-loss record, Bailey averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, according to Sports-Reference.com. He also shot 49.3% from the field and 34.0% from three-point range.
The 18-year-old lived up to expectations, fulfilling the hype surrounding a five-star recruit from high school. Now, the question remains of how the NBA and the Jazz perceive him and his agent’s actions.
