![]() The CBS NBA draft rankings only has 50 players, and Bates was not one of the players listed. There are typically 60 picks in the NBA draft, but this year there are only 58 spots because two teams have lost picks. 56 prospect, which means he would be on the edge of getting selected. The current ESPN NBA draft rankings have Bates listed as the No. Despite his prolific status coming out of high school, it now appears the bigger question is will Emoni Bates be drafted at all? While Bates has all the skill and size that an NBA scout would dream of, his draft status is far from cut and dry. Stepping back from all the noise, these are the questions we have about Emoni Bates going forward. Bates was arrested in September for two felony gun charges, which were eventually dropped in exchange for a misdemeanor. ![]() The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.2 points in 30 games at Eastern Michigan, but his on-court success was at least in part overshadowed by off-court issues before the season started. ![]() With the tumultuous season in Tennessee coming to an end, Bates went back to Ypsilanti to play for Eastern Michigan. After just 18 games, including five where he didn't crack the starting lineup, Bates was out. He originally committed to Michigan State live on ESPN before decommitting and choosing to attend Memphis a short time later. MORE ON EMONI BATES: Why Memphis' upperclassmen had issues with Emoni Batesīates formally announced on Instagram Monday that he has decided to enter the draft after 1½ seasons of college basketball. And the 15-Year-Old Who's Next in Line," the cover story declared. In 2019, Bates was famously profiled by Sports Illustrated as just a sophomore in high school alongside the words "Born For This." As a freshman in high school, Bates carried Ypsilanti Lincoln, far from a typical hoops powerhouse, to a state championship. His legend started quickly and grew even faster. In a way, Emoni Bates' convoluted amateur journey ended the way we all thought it would: an early declaration for the NBA draft. ![]() After the draft process results and the rosters starting to get set, why hasn’t he picked one of those teams? It’s been a complete mystery throughout the offseason, with several teams at one point being linked with him, including Memphis as well.įor a closer look into the Emoni Bates saga, here’s what has reportedly gone on this offseason, as well as a prediction from me as to where I think he’ll ultimately end up.View Gallery: Emoni Bates leads Eastern Michigan past Ohio, 90-79: Best photos He didn’t go through the NBA Draft process so it looked as if he was definitely going to stay in college for at least one more year.Īt some point, Bates announced a top-6 list of options that included Michigan, Arkansas, and Louisville. Things never got going between him and Memphis and after the season was over, Bates entered the NCAA Basketball transfer portal. On the season, Bates averaged 9.7 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 18 games on 39% shooting from the field. Injuries cost him most of the second half of last season, though he was able to return in the NCAA Tournament, losing to Gonzaga in the Round of 32. After a strong individual start (16 ppg through 3 games), Bates struggled with his role in the Tigers and at one point was benched. He, along with another top prospect Jalen Duren, picked Memphis in the offseason and created a ton of buzz and headlines.Īt this point, we all know how it ended up. NCAA Basketball Memphis Tigers forward Emoni Bates Petre Thomas-USA TODAY SportsĪ year ago, the last NCAA Basketball storyline that needed to be cleared was where five-star prospect Emoni Bates was going to be headed after reclassifying to the 2022 recruiting class.
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