The Utah Jazz were on the verge of making one notable move to their coaching staff to help out their newly-selected fifth-overall pick Ace Bailey during this year's summer league action.
Before the Jazz's Salt Lake City Summer League debut on Saturday, it was discovered that Utah would have a guest coach as an assistant on their sidelines in Omar Cooper Jr., a former player from McNeese and the son of Bailey's highly-discussed representative Omar Cooper, largely as a helping hand across the next few weeks, and a familiar face for Utah's fifth-overall pick.
However, as recently revealed by ESPN's Tim McMahon, those plans to bring in Cooper Jr. as a guest coach have since been "called off", as the league office reportedly contacted the Jazz to raise concerns over the idea.
"The Jazz intended to help ease Bailey's transition to the NBA by having Omar Cooper Jr. -- the son of Bailey's advisor who just finished his career at McNeese State and plans to enter coaching -- serve as an unpaid guest coach during summer league," McMahon wrote. "That plan was called off after the league office contacted the Jazz to raise concerns, sources told ESPN."
Despite being essentially a volunteer coach for the Jazz, it's a concept the NBA has seemingly shut down before it was able to get the wheels turning.
The decision from the league office comes after Bailey's pre-draft process and the frantic media buzz that his representative and Cooper Jr.'s father, Omar Cooper, had stirred up before his selection. Before summer league kicked off, Cooper Jr. was seen in Utah's facility working with Bailey and the Jazz roster.
“He’s helping us in all types of ways," said Bailey of Cooper Jr. at Jazz practices. "From just shooting, from getting up early mornings with us, all of the above,”
While his presence in the building was clearly valued by Bailey, it was one that was short-lived.
We’re told Omar Cooper Jr. is a guest coach for the Utah Jazz in summer league.
— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) July 2, 2025
Bailey took on his first summer league game on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers, one that ended in a 93-89 win for the Jazz. Utah's fifth pick ended with eight points on 3/13 shooting from the field, pairing with seven rebounds, one block, and one steal.
"Man, it was great," Bailey said after the game. "We won too, so that made it a plus. It was fun."
The Jazz were led by the efforts of Brice Sensabaugh and Kyle Filipowski alongside Bailey in the starting lineup, who combined for over 40 points and 13 rebounds. It was also a big night for 76ers' third-overall pick VJ Edgecombe, who also made his rookie debut, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Ace Bailey said "NOT ON MY WATCH!"
— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2025
The No. 5 overall pick is making presence known!
Salt Lake City Summer League on ESPN pic.twitter.com/DDonPO0Ho0
Bailey and the Jazz will keep things rolling with two more summer league games in Salt Lake City before traveling to Las Vegas later this week.
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