Eastern Michigan's Emoni Bates, a former No. 1 college basketball recruit, arrested on gun charges

DETROIT — Eastern Michigan basketball star Emoni Bates, who entered college as the No. 1 ranked player in the nation in the Class of 2021, was arrested Sunday night and faces two felony gun charges.

Bates was pulled over by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office at 10:43 p.m. when an officer saw Bates failed to stop at the intersection of Nottingham and Clark Road in Superior Township, according to the sheriff's office.

According to police, a firearm was discovered in the car upon investigation and Bates, 18, was taken into custody and held in jail overnight.

Bates was arraigned Monday at 14A District Court. He only said his name, "yes ma'am," and his preferred address that court send his paperwork. Bates was released on personal bond. His next court hearing for probable cause is scheduled for Oct. 6.

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Bates is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and altering the identification marks on a firearm.

"Your honor, we'd like to waive any formal reading of the charges before Mr. Bates (and) ask that the court enter a not-guilty plea," Bates' attorney, Steve Haney, said during Monday's hearing. "Mr. Bates, Emoni, has been a lifelong member of the community. He's currently a full-time student at Eastern Michigan University.

"This is his first brush with the law, he has no prior criminal history at all, I would submit to the court he poses no threat or risk to society and that he would certainly be responding and be appearing at future court dates."

Magistrate Elisha Fink responded, "I don't have a problem with the personal bond; I disagree that there's no threat, the nature of these particular charges are inherently dangerous. That's why we have laws regulating this kind of thing, so people have training, licensing and proper knowledge so there is not a danger to the community."

Haney later told the Free Press that Bates was borrowing a friend's car at the time of the arrest.

"All we ask if that people reserve judgment and grant him the presumption of innocence that everyone is entitled to," Haney said Monday afternoon. "He wasn't trying to hide anything. Let the facts come out."

Per Eastern Michigan athletic department policy, Bates has been suspended from all playing and practice privileges until the matter is resolved.

"We are aware of a situation involving men's basketball student-athlete Emoni Bates," EMU athletics said in a statement Monday. "Eastern Michigan University takes all allegations of this nature very seriously.

"Because this is an on-going legal matter, the University will have no further comment at this time."

Prior to transferring to EMU this summer, Bates, who originally committed to Michigan State, spent his freshman year at Memphis. The 6-foot-9, 190-pound wing averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds on 38.6% shooting in 18 games.

"I love my city and coming home to do something special was big for me," Bates said in a statement last month after his transfer was complete. "I've known several of the guys on the team from playing together and competing. Having a strong relationship and bond with my teammates and coaching staff was important to me."

Before his time in college, Bates starred in high school for three years, first at Ypsilanti Lincoln where he led the Railsplitters to the program's first Division I state championship as a freshman in 2019 and was named the Division 1 Player of the Year in Michigan by The Associated Press.

After the 2019-20 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bates played at Ypsilanti Prep Academy, a basketball program started by his father, E.J. Bates.

Bates graduating from high school in three years and entered college as the No. 1 ranked player in the nation in the class of 2021.

According to EMU, Bates is the first former five-star prospect on a roster in the Mid-American Conference.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan basketball star, arrested on gun charges