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Colin Cowherd on Ace Bailey: ‘Adults are failing this kid’

The drama around Ace Bailey and the Utah Jazz has been present since Wednesday, when the Jazz selected him fifth overall in the NBA Draft. Colin Cowherd was less critical of Bailey than the adults in his life, who should have been better guiding him through the process.

Cowherd touched on the reports that Bailey’s agent told one team picking in the top five not to draft him.

“Ace Bailey is this kinda kid that, like, his representative, his agent, told him, he told one of the top five teams not to pick him,” Cowherd said. “And I’m thinking, ‘Where are the adults to help this kid?’ He’s getting horrible advice. Reportedly, he’s a good kid. But when the year started, he was considered the second-best player to Cooper Flagg, the second-best prospect. So he’s already cost himself $9 million dropping from third, where he should have gone, to fifth. And by the way, his teammate, Dylan Harper, Ron Harper, always in his life, is there. Unfortunately, Ace, dad was in and out of his life. Well, you got mom. You got other people.”

Cowherd’s attention then shifted to Bailey’s agent, Omar Cooper.

“I don’t see this happening to a lot of agents’ players,” Cowherd said. “Omar Cooper — legal issues in the past, not certified agent by the NBA, one NBA client — Ace Bailey. This is not the agent you pick. What’s LeBron’s agent? Rich Paul. Rich Paul, I’ve seen him let go of clients if they won’t listen to him. Rich Paul’s a very, very good agent. Excellent agent. This kid needed Rich Paul. He needed Rich Paul. He needed a strong, certified, respected agent. ‘Cause no adults are stepping in for this kid. Quality of agents matter. I’ve had four. Trust me, there is a big gap in competency in every industry. But this is a great example, where the adults are not there for this kid. He’s reportedly not a bad kid.”

Colin Cowherd on Ace Bailey: “Where are the adults to help this kid? He’s getting horrible advice… Omar Cooper: legal issues in the past, not certified agent by the NBA, one NBA client- Ace Bailey. This is not the agent you pick…” #NBA pic.twitter.com/zSMRUSLmN1

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 28, 2025

After playing a clip of Draymond Green discussing how Bailey will now enter the NBA with a target on his back, Cowherd continued to criticize the adults around Bailey.

He compared the NBA and NFL Drafts, noting that in the NFL, players are usually in their early 20s when getting drafted. Conversely, many NBA draftees, especially at the top of the draft, are 18 or 19. And while that may not seem like a huge age difference, Cowherd explained why it is.

“Trust me, as a dad that’s got six kids in my life, the difference between like 18-19 and 24 is two different human beings, especially with boys,” Cowherd said. “This is the time where the NFL has a structural advantage over the NBA, ’cause kids are just older. Boys are older. But you go 18-19 years old and that’s when a young man needs guidance. And this guy, adults are failing this kid. He wouldn’t work out for teams. That’s just not what you do. His agent apparently told one of the top five teams, ‘not interested.’ That is not what you do.”

Cowherd, of course, is not the only person to criticize Bailey’s actions. Scott Van Pelt did the same. Before Bailey was even drafted, Stephen A. Smith was adamant that the Philadelphia 76ers should not take Bailey at No. 3.

Stephen A. Smith was adamant that the 76ers should not take Ace Bailey.

They took VJ Edgecombe.

“You think they were gonna go Bailey and you just talked them out of it?’ pic.twitter.com/DlxjdKkYSa

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 26, 2025

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported that Bailey would report to the Jazz on Saturday.

Even assuming that happens, Cowherd and the others have a point. The immediate aftermath of Bailey getting drafted has been a lot more dramatic and stress-free than it ever needed to be.

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