The 2025 NBA Draft is days away, but one of the top prospects in the class is generating headlines for all of the wrong reasons. Ace Bailey, the star freshman at Rutgers who has been projected as a potential top-five pick in the draft, has done some shockingly strange things that baffle NBA teams.
Bailey’s agent, Omar Cooper, has some connections to the Auburn Tigers through his son, Sharife Cooper, who left college early but did not play in the NBA. Basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla questioned whether Cooper is helping or hurting Bailey’s draft stock.
Ace Bailey’s Draft Strategy Raises Questions
Ace Bailey is purported to be a sure thing for the 2025 NBA Draft. In his only college basketball season, Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while receiving Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades. Most draft experts rated him as the No. 3 overall prospect, with the Philadelphia 76ers owning that selection.
Bailey has taken an odd approach to the pre-draft process. This week, he canceled his workout with the Philadelphia 76ers that was initially planned. NBA teams are bewildered.
Bailey is the only major American prospect who has not visited any of the NBA teams thus far. Bailey’s camp thinks he should be a top-three pick, and they want some assurances about playing time and the playing situation.
The decision to skip workouts has created doubt. Some teams wonder if Bailey received promises from other franchises. ESPN’s draft coverage suggests Bailey could slide from the top three to picks six or seven if teams lose confidence in his basketball character.
Bailey’s agent is Omar Cooper, who runs LifeStyle Sports Agency. Cooper is better known as the father of Sharife Cooper, the former Auburn Tigers star. Sharife played just 12 games at Auburn in 2021, averaging 20.2 points and 8.1 assists before declaring for the NBA Draft.
ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who covered Auburn that season, believes Sharife made a mistake leaving college early. Fraschilla tweeted:
“Sharife played 12 games as a Tiger, averaging 20 & 8, before leaving school. I said on a broadcast that season that had he stayed as a sophomore, he would have contended for National Player of the Year, throwing lobs to Jabari Smith, Jr. & Walker Kessler. A likely 1st pick. He’s now in France.”
Rutgers’ Ace Bailey’s agent is @AuburnMBB Shareef Cooper’s dad, Omar Cooper. Shareef played 12 games as a Tiger, averaging 20 & 8, before leaving school. I said on a broadcast that season, that had he stayed as a sophomore, he would contended for National Player of the Year,…
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) June 19, 2025
Cooper was drafted in the second round by Atlanta in 2021 but never found NBA success. He currently plays for JDA Dijon in France’s top league. Meanwhile, his Auburn teammates Jabari Smith Jr. and Walker Kessler became first-round NBA picks after staying in college longer.
Fraschilla ended his tweet with a concern: “I hope dad knows what he’s doing with Ace.” This comment highlights worries that Omar Cooper’s guidance might not serve Bailey’s best interests.
