Eastern Michigan University basketball star and Ypsilanti native, Emoni Bates, has officially submitted his name into this year’s NBA draft, The Athletic has reported.
Bates was a former number one overall high school basketball recruit for his class, landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 15 and winning the national Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2020. He was also once committed to play at Michigan State University before reclassifying to enter college a year early and play at Memphis University, where he averaged 9.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG.
The 19-year-old star will look to live out a dream of his as he took to his Instagram page to confirm the reports.
During his only season at EMU this year, Bates averaged 19.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.4 APG while earning Third team All-MAC honors.
He will look to be the first player out of Eastern Michigan University to be selected in the NBA draft since 1998 when Derrick Dial was selected at pick 52 in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs.
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