Ace Bailey, a standout freshman at Rutgers, aspires to be the first player from the school to be selected among the top agent ace gcash five in the draft. Following the draft, Bailey has arrived in Utah, with comments from his camp, including Omar Cooper, emphasizing the importance of “fit over slot. Before the draft, Bailey’s camp opted out of certain workouts, fueling speculation regarding favored teams and suggesting a reluctance to join specific organizations.
At the age of seven or eight, Okoro began playing basketball under Cooper’s guidance, continuing with him on the agent’s AAU team throughout high school. The decision made by the Jazz raised concerns among those who believe that the Cooper family might exert excessive influence over Bailey. After taking a break from basketball in 2021, she returned to play for French team Tarbes Gespe Bigorre in 2025. Participating in only 13 games in the NBA, Cooper scored a total of seven points and has been competing overseas since 2024, currently with JDA Dijon in France.
There’s a belief that once a team gets him into the right role, you’ll see the jumper get back to the elite level it was in high school. He often played on the ball when his best role — as seen by when he played with Flagg, Queen and a star-studded team at Montverde (Fla.) Academy in high school — is off the ball. McNeeley averaged 14.5 points but shot just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3 this year despite a reputation that would make you believe he is a serious shooter. A few sources have mentioned that Clayton has been hard to get in for a workout recently and may have a situation that he feels comfortable with. He was terrific against Houston in the championship game, but the picture often looked cloudy with his decision-making. Several other teams thought he shot the ball extremely impressively in Chicago during his pro day, per sources.
During high school, Cooper played a significant role in Bailey’s development, mentoring him along with numerous other boys and girls. To be closer to Cooper, Bailey relocated from Tennessee to Georgia during high school, where Cooper subsequently assisted in connecting him to Rutgers as a recruiting prospect. This year, Bailey has not engaged in a single pre-draft visit with any team, a rare choice for an American player in the draft pool. Although teams in the top five are considering selecting Bailey, he has not fully engaged with those organizations throughout the pre-draft period. As one of the top prospects in the class, Ace Bailey is entering the NBA draft, yet his pre-draft process has raised several questions. This situation presents the Sixers with a decision to make at the third pick; while Bailey may offer the highest potential, the pre-draft process has raised some concerns.
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Importantly, the 76ers, Hornets, and Nets all possess picks within the top eight. In fact, Bailey’s camp has even canceled or turned down workout offers. With less than a week remaining before the draft, ESPN reported that Bailey has not arranged any workouts. Interviews are part of the private workout process, allowing teams to confirm the player’s fit within their culture and ensuring they will contribute positively rather than disruptively. Before the official draft day, prospects will participate in workouts at the NBA Draft Combine and also engage in private workouts with interested teams.
They very well may decide to move out of this pick to acquire future draft capital, or combine it with No. 15 to move up the board if they can. The Thunder have a significant roster crunch, and it will be difficult to bring in two rookies next season unless they move off some of their recent draft picks. To say it’s unlikely that the Nets make all five of these picks would be an understatement.
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The Nets are believed to be considering moves to consolidate this pick with others, aiming to move back up into the lottery. His draft position could range from the latter half of the lottery to the 21st pick. The lottery is where it begins and it genuinely extends into the 20s. Nevertheless, it is viewed as a candidate for down-trading if it can attach salary to a pick to enable a move down.
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His athleticism and two-way potential make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the class of 2025. “He’s excited about heading to Utah… we believe he can accomplish a lot there… Omar, Ace’s manager, prioritized fit over being the third pick in the draft.” “Clearly, it’s an honor to be chosen in the top five of the NBA Draft, and we believe he can achieve great things there.”
In the run-up to the 2025 NBA Draft, Ace Bailey from Rutgers engaged in some puzzling actions. The tough shot-making and fearless attitude of the Chattanooga, Tennessee native under pressure were notable during his single season with the Scarlet Knights. “Sharife participated in 12 games as a Tiger, averaging 20 points and 8 rebounds, before leaving the institution.
Since obtaining this pick in the Desmond Bane trade, the Grizzlies have been working to bring players into their facility, having previously held only late second-round selections before the trade. He is a candidate for several spots, including with Chicago, yet he might drop out of the lottery. If he falls outside of the lottery, he is not expected to drop significantly further.
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During the 2021 season, Sharife played only 12 games at Auburn, averaging 20.2 points and 8.1 assists before entering the NBA Draft. Ultimately, the decision proved beneficial as Cooper aided in Bailey’s skill development and recruitment to Rutgers after high school. Cooper is not just any ordinary agent; he is the father of Sharife Cooper. An experienced player on an expiring contract can navigate himself toward specific teams. 35. ”
They canceled workouts and attempted to direct themselves toward that goal, but the manner in which Ace Bailey approached it seemed somewhat unprofessional. At the time, not much attention was given to Sarr’s choice, especially from Rachel Nichols. The expression suggested a desire for a trade by the time he exited the stage.