Emoni Bates goes from Memphis to Eastern Michigan to Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023 NBA Draft
Former Memphis basketball player Emoni Bates was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday with the 49th pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Bates (6-10, 170) played 18 games as a true freshman for Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway in 2021-22. He joined the Tigers as an 18-year-old after reclassifying to skip his senior season of high school. Following a tumultuous season at Memphis, the small forward transferred to Eastern Michigan, where he played 31 games last season. He's the first Eastern Michigan player to be drafted since 1998.
The Michigan native was one of the most highly touted high school basketball players in history. As a sophomore, he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated and was named Gatorade National Player of the Year. He spent time ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the country and Memphis won the battle for his services. Bates came in with former Tiger Jalen Duren (who was a first-round pick by the Detroit Pistons last year) as co-headliners of Hardaway's second top-ranked recruiting class.
But Bates struggled to adjust to the college game and missed the majority of AAC play with a back injury. He returned to play in Memphis' two NCAA Tournament games in 2022, then transferred to Eastern Michigan.
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Bates averaged 9.7 points a game in his only season at Memphis. He shot 38.6% from the field and 32.9% from the 3-point line. He fared significantly better at Eastern Michigan, putting up 19.2 points a game. But his efficiency numbers were only marginally better at 40.7% from the floor and 33.1% beyond the arc.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @munzly.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Emoni Bates picked by Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023 NBA Draft 2nd round
