Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey has officially broken ties with his manager, Omar Cooper. As a result, the move sparked renewed interest in how he’ll navigate his entry into the NBA. The Jazz rookie decided to sever that relationship after a period of NBA pre-draft chaos and conflicting advice. Ultimately, he said the decision was meant to give him peace and clarity as he steps into his role in Utah.
To start, Ace Bailey’s split was with his manager, a figure who oversaw much of his development leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft. From the eighth grade onward, Cooper had been part of Bailey’s life. He even moved Bailey to Georgia and connected him with the Athletes of Tomorrow AAU program. However, reports say Cooper pushed Bailey toward a specific draft range. In addition, he discouraged workouts with teams picking ahead. Those teams included the Jazz, who still selected him at No. 5. In turn, the effort to steer draft outcomes became a major subplot of the NBA Draft cycle.
Moving forward, Bailey explained why he made the decision. “I feel like I just made the best decision to move forward, to better me and my family and the position that way,” he said. His words were simple. Still, they revealed the pressure created by clashing interests so early in his career.
From here, Bailey hopes removing the drama will let him focus on basketball. Likewise, the Jazz appear to share that view. Coaches and front office staff have praised his size, athleticism, and energy. More importantly, they believe those traits can shine now that distractions are gone. Utah president of basketball operations Austin Ainge called Bailey’s mix of skills “very unique.” He also noted that Bailey brings joy to the gym every single day.
Finally, attention shifts to the court. Expectations remain grounded for now. Head coach Will Hardy wants Bailey to lock in on defense, use his length, and build a two-way mindset. Bailey echoed that, saying, “you gotta be able to play both sides of the ball in this league.” In the end, for the Jazz and Bailey, the reset begins now, without the weight of past management conflicts.
The only question is this: will this reset turn Ace Bailey into the star the Jazz believe he can be?
