Who Is Omar Sharife
Omar Sharife Cooper, often known simply as Omar Cooper or “Coop,” is an American entrepreneur, sports agent, basketball coach, and grassroots basketball architect whose life has been deeply intertwined with the sport. When I look at his story, what stands out most is not a single championship, draft selection, or business venture. It is the way basketball became the language of an entire family.
Omar Sharife built his reputation through youth basketball, particularly as the founder and driving force behind Athletes of Tomorrow, commonly known as AOT. Based in the Atlanta area, the program became a significant platform for developing young players and preparing them for elite high school, college, and professional opportunities.
His coaching philosophy was demanding. Discipline, repetition, accountability, and confidence were treated as essential ingredients. That philosophy was not reserved for other athletes. Omar applied the same standards inside his own household, raising four children who became accomplished basketball players in their own right.
The family’s story began in New Jersey. Omar and his wife, Kindall Cooper, eventually relocated their family from Newark to the Atlanta area when the children were young. Georgia provided a new basketball environment, and the Cooper household quickly became one of intense athletic ambition.
Omar Sharife Cooper Family at a Glance
| Family Member | Relationship | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|
| Omar Sharife Cooper | Father | Entrepreneur, sports agent, AAU coach and AOT founder |
| Kindall Cooper | Wife | Family supporter and mother of four athletes |
| Te’a Cooper | Daughter | Former WNBA player and collegiate standout |
| Mia Imani Cooper | Daughter | Former McEachern basketball player |
| Sharife Cooper | Son | Professional basketball player and 2021 NBA draft pick |
| Omar Cooper Jr. | Son | Former college basketball player and emerging coach |
| Stori Kamara | Granddaughter | Daughter of Te’a Cooper |
Kindall Cooper and the Family Foundation
Kindall Cooper, sometimes referred to publicly as Kindallina, has played an important role in the family’s story. While Omar was frequently visible as the coach and basketball strategist, Kindall was part of the support system that kept the household moving.
She has been described as a “Super Mom” and has participated in the demanding routine that accompanied raising four competitive young athletes. Practices, tournaments, school commitments, travel, recovery, and family responsibilities formed the rhythm of daily life.
Kindall has also maintained a public presence on social media, where she shares family moments, encouragement, celebrations, and glimpses into the Cooper family’s journey.
The Cooper parenting philosophy was straightforward but intense. The children were expected to work, listen, compete, and remain accountable. Basketball was important, but the underlying lesson was larger: talent could open a door, but discipline was supposed to keep it open.
That philosophy became especially visible as the children began collecting accomplishments at McEachern High School.
Te’a Cooper and the Beginning of the Basketball Legacy
Te’a Cooper is the oldest Cooper sibling and one of the most famous.
Te’a excelled at Powder Springs’ McEachern High School and boosted the family’s basketball reputation. Her career brought her to Tennessee, South Carolina, and Baylor.
Her unconventional route included numerous basketball surroundings before finding a championship-level opportunity at Baylor. She joined a national powerhouse and went professional.
Phoenix Mercury selected Te’a 18th overall in 2020 WNBA Draft. She played for the LA Sparks and explored international careers.
Speed, athleticism, scoring ability, and confidence define her game. Off the court, she likes modeling, entrepreneurship, fashion, and social media.
Te’a’s personal life is equally well-known. On December 25, 2022, she gave birth to Stori Kamara after being engaged to NBA player Dwight Howard. As she balanced professional basketball with motherhood, her story expanded.
The Cooper family saw Te’a as more than an athlete. She was the first major product of their basketball-focused upbringing.
Mia Imani Cooper and the Sibling Connection
Mia Imani Cooper has maintained a considerably lower public profile than Te’a and her twin brothers, but her basketball background remains an important part of the family story.
She played basketball at McEachern High School and was part of a remarkable period for the program. The Cooper siblings were not simply individual athletes. They became part of a larger family culture in which basketball achievements were shared and celebrated collectively.
Mia’s story illustrates an important feature of the Cooper family. Not every member pursued the same level of professional visibility, yet participation in basketball helped create a common identity.
The court was essentially the family’s meeting place, classroom, and testing ground.
Sharife Cooper and the NBA Dream
Sharife Cooper, born June 11, 2001, is the Cooper family’s most prominent professional basketball player. He was born on the same day as his twin brother, Omar Cooper Jr., and the two developed together through a basketball-heavy childhood.
At McEachern, Sharife became one of the most highly regarded young guards in American basketball.
During his junior season, McEachern completed a perfect 32 and 0 campaign, with Sharife playing a central role. His performances earned him major individual recognition, including Mr. Georgia Basketball honors and national player of the year attention.
He eventually committed to Auburn University, where he played one season. Despite missing games because of eligibility issues, he immediately demonstrated his ability as a scorer and playmaker and earned SEC All-Freshman recognition.
The next major milestone arrived in 2021.
The Atlanta Hawks selected Sharife with the 48th overall pick in the NBA Draft. For Omar Sharife, watching his son hear his name called by an NBA team represented the culmination of years of practices, tournaments, travel, and sacrifice.
Sharife later spent time with the Hawks and Washington Wizards organizations, including two-way and G League opportunities. His professional career also expanded internationally, including a championship run in China’s CBA with Liaoning in 2024 and opportunities in France.
His game remains built around the qualities his father emphasized from childhood: speed, creativity, ball control, scoring instincts, and the ability to make plays for others.
Omar Cooper Jr and the Other Twin Path
Omar Cooper Jr., born June 11, 2001, is Sharife’s twin brother. Although his professional profile has not reached the same height as his brother’s, his basketball journey has been substantial.
He played at McEachern before continuing his education and basketball career at Clarendon College. He later joined McNeese State, where he received significant playing opportunities and became part of teams competing at the NCAA Division I level.
As a guard, Omar Jr. developed a game based on organization, passing, and floor leadership. His career demonstrates that the same family system can produce different basketball personalities.
More recently, he has shown interest in coaching. His involvement as a guest coach with the Utah Jazz Summer League points toward a possible evolution from player to teacher.
That transition feels particularly fitting. Omar Jr. grew up watching his father teach basketball, so coaching offers him a way to continue the family tradition from another side of the sideline.
Omar Sharife as a Father and Coach
I find the most compelling part of Omar Sharife’s story to be the overlap between his professional philosophy and his parenting.
He did not simply coach basketball players. He raised children in a household where basketball demanded commitment. Interviews and family conversations have highlighted the strict nature of the upbringing.
The expectations were high. Practice was serious. Effort mattered. Excuses had little room to breathe.
Yet Omar has also publicly celebrated his children as his “heroes” and “superstars.” That contrast reveals another side of his approach. The intensity was connected to belief. He pushed because he believed the children were capable of achieving something significant.
Through AOT, he extended that philosophy to young athletes beyond his own family. The program helped develop players who went on to major college and professional careers, including NBA talent such as Isaac Okoro.
In grassroots basketball circles, this made Omar more than a parent. He became a basketball power broker and talent developer.
LifeStyle Sports Agency and the Next Chapter
Omar Sharife founded LifeStyle Sports Agency in 2020 to represent his basketball career.
The agency develops players on and off the court. Its idea resembles Omar’s AAU basketball work, but the stakes are different for professional athletes.
He has worked with noteworthy prospects like Young Money APAA Sports. He has represented Ace Bailey and other top talents.
Omar’s connection with Bailey garnered attention at the 2025 NBA Draft. Basketball fans debated pre-draft tactics, team visits, interviews, and representation.
Omar had moved far from the AAU gym, regardless of the controversy surrounding some decisions. He went beyond helping teens make games. He was involved in professional basketball industry.
Business Interests and Financial Profile
Omar’s financial position is not publicly documented in enough detail to establish a reliable net worth figure. Claims assigning him a specific fortune should therefore be treated cautiously.
His business activities nevertheless suggest several professional income streams. LifeStyle Sports Agency represents one major avenue, while his long involvement in grassroots basketball provides another layer of influence and opportunity.
He has also been associated with LifeStyle Sports Bistro in the Atlanta area, demonstrating that his interests extend beyond player representation.
His career is a useful example of how basketball entrepreneurship can develop organically. A coach builds relationships. Relationships become a network. A network becomes an agency. Eventually, the basketball court becomes only one part of the business.
The Cooper Family Timeline
| Year | Family Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Te’a Cooper is born on April 16 |
| Early 2000s | Omar and Kindall raise their children around basketball |
| Around 2007 | The family relocates from New Jersey to the Atlanta area |
| 2010s | AOT develops into a prominent grassroots basketball program |
| 2010s | Te’a, Mia, Sharife, and Omar Jr. establish themselves at McEachern |
| June 11, 2001 | Sharife and Omar Jr. are born as twins |
| 2020 | Te’a is selected 18th overall in the WNBA Draft |
| 2020 | Omar expands into professional player representation |
| 2021 | Sharife is selected 48th overall by the Atlanta Hawks |
| 2022 | Te’a welcomes daughter Stori Kamara |
| 2024 | Sharife celebrates a CBA championship with Liaoning |
| 2025 | Omar’s representation of Ace Bailey draws significant basketball attention |
| 2026 | The Cooper basketball legacy continues through professional, coaching, and business pursuits |
The Cooper Family Beyond Basketball
The family is clearly associated with basketball, yet they are more than athletes.
Te’a studied parenthood and entrepreneurship. Omar Jr. is considering coaching. Sharife builds a career in multiple basketball markets. Kindall is still vital to the family, but Omar has turned coaching into a business profession.
Their experience shows how complicated family success is. Siblings competing in the same sport can attain personal and group success.
A single player wins a tournament. A family championship is possible.
This seems to define the Cooper family. The basis is shared, but the achievements are individual.
FAQ
Who is Omar Sharife Cooper?
Omar Sharife Cooper is an American entrepreneur, sports agent, AAU coach, and grassroots basketball program founder known especially for developing young basketball talent and raising several accomplished basketball players.
Who is Omar Sharife Cooper’s wife?
His wife is Kindall Cooper, who has been closely involved in raising their four children and supporting their basketball careers.
How many children does Omar Sharife Cooper have?
Omar Sharife and Kindall Cooper have four children: Te’a Cooper, Mia Imani Cooper, Sharife Cooper, and Omar Cooper Jr.
Who is Sharife Cooper?
Sharife Cooper is Omar Sharife Cooper’s son and a professional basketball guard who was selected 48th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Who is Te’a Cooper?
Te’a Cooper is Omar Sharife Cooper’s daughter and a former WNBA player who was selected 18th overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
Are Sharife Cooper and Omar Cooper Jr. twins?
Yes. Sharife Cooper and Omar Cooper Jr. were born on June 11, 2001, and are twin brothers.
What is Athletes of Tomorrow?
Athletes of Tomorrow, commonly called AOT, is the grassroots basketball program founded and led by Omar Sharife Cooper to develop young players and prepare them for higher levels of competition.
What is LifeStyle Sports Agency?
LifeStyle Sports Agency is Omar Sharife Cooper’s player representation business, focused on helping basketball players develop professionally both on and off the court.
Does Omar Sharife Cooper have grandchildren?
Yes. His daughter Te’a Cooper has a daughter named Stori Kamara, making Stori Omar Sharife Cooper’s granddaughter.
Where did the Cooper family grow up?
The Cooper family has roots in Newark, New Jersey, but relocated to the Atlanta, Georgia area when the children were young, where the siblings developed their basketball careers.
