Subscribe
Follow Us
Utah Jazz's fifth overall pick, Ace Bailey, saw a familiar face on one of his new assistant coaches in preparation for summer league play. After Bailey arrived in Utah, reporting to the Jazz for the first time since he was selected, his agent, Omar Cooper's son, Omar Cooper Jr., was seen feeding balls to shooters at a recent practice.
Cooper Jr. is being labeled as a “guest coach” who is in attendance to shadow the Jazz's summer league coaching staff, according to The Athletic's Andy Larsen.
“Walter Clayton and Ace Bailey getting up shots. Interesting twist: that’s Omar Cooper Jr. feeding balls to the shooters. (Not Sharife Cooper, but they look very similar!),” Larsen reported. “We’re told Omar Cooper Jr. is a guest coach for the Utah Jazz in summer league. Omar Cooper Jr. is Sharife's twin brother; was a senior guard at McNeese State last year averaging 1.7 PPG before a swollen appendix basically ended his season.
“Will Wade offered him a graduate assistant role to begin his coaching career at McN, now shadowing Jazz coaches in SL,” Larsen concluded.
We’re told Omar Cooper Jr. is a guest coach for the Utah Jazz in summer league.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) July 2, 2025
Jeff Teague's advice for Ace Bailey before Jazz tenure
Former NBA guard and podcaster Jeff Teague delivered advice to Jazz rookie Ace Bailey amid a controversial start to his NBA career. Teague reminded Bailey that he won't be forced to stay in Utah year-round, per the Club 520 Podcast.
“When you make it to the NBA, the biggest thing is they have banks in every city. So you’re going to be able to go to the bank. You’re going to get to have fun,” Teague said. “You’re not there that long; you’re there for six or seven months at most; you’re going to go home. You’ll be back in Atlanta or Miami very soon. Go ahead and get your game right, hoop, play, and it’s probably the best for you, bro.”
Perhaps being far from friends, family, and other distractions is ideal for an NBA rookie to focus on developing their game. It sounds as if that's the angle Teague is getting at when thinking about the outset of Bailey's career, starting with the Jazz. It's no secret Bailey wasn't interested in playing for the Jazz. However, he's not the first prospect to be selected by a team that's not a preferred destination.
It's rarely hindered that prospect's performance, which is most likely what we'll see with Bailey and the Jazz, as the fifth overall pick adapts to life in the NBA.
