Three main storylines came out of the 2025 NBA Draft. Cooper Flagg being selected number one by the Mavericks, Khaman Maluach’s journey to the NBA, and the look on Ace Bailey’s face after he was selected fifth overall by the Utah Jazz.
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The look on the power forward’s face as he shook hands with Adam Silver on the stage was not one of elation, jubilation or gratitude. It was a look of “Please trade me by the time I get off this stage.”
Millions of people around the world watching got it instantly. He did not want to be drafted by the Jazz, especially after, via his representation, he turned down a pre-draft invitation to work out for the Salt Lake City franchise.
So much has been said about his reaction and his reported actions during the run-up to the 2025 NBA Draft. A few days ago, Draymond Green offered the Rutgers product some stern words of advice, and now Rachel Nichols has decided to share her own thoughts (not that anyone asked).
During a sit-down with Chris Mannix, former ESPN journalist Rachel Nichols discussed the odd happenings around the draft selection and how it was handled.
Nichols said the following: “It’s one thing not to go work out for people, and his agent’s point was, hey, he worked out for everyone at the combine, and everyone got the chance [evaluate him], which his agent should know is not the same thing. It’s another thing to cancel on teams, which is what he did. [Then] schedule workouts and cancel them.”
According to reports, Bailey and his representatives leaked to the media that Bailey’s preferred destinations were the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn, and the Pelicans.
However, the Jazz had other ideas and selected him regardless: “It’s another thing to have it out there that, ‘Oh, I prefer this destination, I prefer that destination.’ If that turns out that it’s bad reporting, you could come out and say, ‘That is not true. Nobody ever did that.”
Interestingly enough, last year, Washington drafted Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick after he chose not to work out for the team with the first selection, the Atlanta Hawks. Not much was made of Sarr’s decision, especially not by Rachel Nichols at the time.
Still, Nichols did echo Green’s sentiment, noting: “I do think that he now has a little bit extra to prove to people. About being a good teammate, about being a leader, about being someone who is hungry, a sponge, ready to learn, and ready to play your role. [These are] all the things that are valued for rookies in this league because he’s walking in with not a great reputation because of the last four to six weeks.”
Then, the interview took an odd turn. Mannix referred to Ace Bailey’s agent, Omar Sharife Cooper, as inexperienced: “We have to acknowledge that Ace Bailey has a young agent, a new agent that he works with him as his representation.”
That claim is simply not true. Omar Sharife Cooper is a tenured sports agent and father of former NBA player Sharife Cooper and former WNBA player Te’a Cooper.
His client list is currently small, featuring Rutgers player Tariq Francis, US College football player Tommy Kinsler, and G League free agent Babatunde Akingbola. However, he does have experience and knowledge in the basketball industry.
The suggestion that Cooper lacks experience overlooks the fact that his son, Sharife, once played in the NBA and the G League. After his time with the Cleveland Charge, Sharife played for JDA Dijon in France and previously suited up in Greece and Turkey. The idea that Omar Cooper damaged his son’s draft stock also remains somewhat unproven.
According to reports, toward the end of Sharife’s lone season at Auburn and throughout the draft process, there were widespread concerns about the 6-foot point guard’s height and shooting ability. Additionally, he was very inconsistent at Auburn.
Yet, Mannix doubled down, saying: “He’s not represented by a Rich Paul or a Bill Duffy, the powerhouse agents who do stuff like this.”
He did, however, begrudgingly acknowledge that this isn’t a new tactic: “Maneuvering to one team is not a new concept. Guys get promises all the time. They shut down workouts, and they try to steer themselves to that destination, but how Ace Bailey did it felt kind of amateurish.”
Rachel Nichols then added: “It’s one thing to steer your way in certain circumstances. The bottom line is that the NBA team that drafts you has your rights for seven years, seven years. So it’s not like you can go be a problem somewhere. A veteran on an expiring contract can guide [himself] to certain teams.”
Rachel Nichols and Chris Mannix’s criticisms sounded more bitter than balanced. Their critiques felt personal and exaggerated, especially when directed at a teenager and his agent, whom they did not have all the information about. If Bailey’s actions lacked polish, Nichols’ commentary lacked empathy — or even basic research.
With all the hoopla surrounding Ace Bailey, the Utah Jazz have shown no interest in backing down. As reported by Shams Charania: “The Jazz are not going to be trading Ace Bailey. If he’s playing in the NBA, he’s playing for the Utah Jazz.” Additionally, it was reported that the Jazz expect Bailey to report to the team this weekend.
“We’ve had good communication with Ace Bailey and his representatives,” a Jazz representative told ESPN. “We feel good about everything. Ace and his family are coming to Utah tomorrow.”
