This player still has the potential to have a long career in the NBA.
Social media can make anyone look like a superstar these days. Thanks to a viral mixtape that was made when he was in 7th grade, Emoni Bates became a household name. By the time he was 15 years old, scouts and analysts were already calling him one of the best high school basketball prospects since LeBron James.
Bates’ potential seemed limitless, and a spot on an NBA All-Star team appeared to be a foregone conclusion. But as time wore on, his path to an NBA career was more than a straight line.
Why Emoni Bates was dubbed the next Kevin Durant
There’s a reason Bates’ 7th-grade high school mixtape went viral. He averaged 28.5 points and 10.2 rebounds en route to Lincoln’s first-ever state title. Bates then ended that year by becoming the only underclassman in history to win the prestigious Gatorade National Player of the Year award. Standing 6’10” with a slender frame and a similar offensive game to Kevin Durant, it was hard for scouts and fans not to compare him to the future Hall of Famer. Even Durant himself endorsed the comparisons when he was asked in an interview which high school hoopers impressed him the most.
At the peak of his high school career, Bates was the top-ranked player in his class, even after skipping his senior year. He initially committed to play for Tom Izzo at Michigan State, but de-committed a few months later. This decision led his basketball journey to take an unexpected twist.
Bates struggled to find a role on the Memphis Tigers
Bates decommitted from Michigan State and instead chose to play for Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers. Expectations remained the same for Bates, but once he made the move, he struggled to meet them. In his freshman season at Memphis, he averaged a modest 9.7 points per game. Not horrible, but it is a far cry from the scoring numbers fans were used to. Outside his struggles on offense, scouts were also beginning to question his capabilities on defense.
Following his underwhelming freshman season, Bates transferred to Eastern Michigan to try and regain his form. However, before the season even began, Bates was arrested on two gun charges. One was for carrying a concealed weapon and the other was altering identification marks on a firearm. Bates was eventually able to work on a plea deal and put up impressive numbers his sophomore year, averaging close to 20 points per game.
He was eventually drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers
David Richard-Imagn Images
Though his draft stock had fallen considerably, Bates declared for the 2023 NBA draft. He was eventually selected 49th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a rookie, Bates primarily spent time in the G-League, developing his game and proving that he belongs in the NBA. In 10 games, Bates averaged 24.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and shot 45.7% from the field. Though he hasn’t made an immediate impact in the NBA just yet, it’s also too early to count Emoni Bates out.
At just 20 years old, he has plenty of time to develop into the player many believed he could be. The comparisons to Kevin Durant may have been premature, but Bates still has the potential to have a long career in the NBA.