Emoni Bates has one of the most supportive parents, who have not only made his pursuit of passion easier but also played a pivotal role in transforming him into an exceptional basketball player.
Emoni James-Wayne Bates is a college basketball player for the Eastern Michigan Eagles of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). He was born on January 28, 2004, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Before playing with the Eagles, he was with the Memphis Tigers. The player’s height towers at a staggering Six-feet nine-inches.
Bates spent his first two years of high school at Lincoln High School in his hometown.
He was extensively praised by the national media and regarded as the best recruit in his class. He was even compared to the likes of Lebron James.
As a rookie, Bates led Lincoln to the state championship and became the first sophomore to earn the Gatorade National Player of the Year boys’ honor.
For his junior season, Bates switched to Ypsi Prep Academy, which was a new school founded by his father.
Being committed to Michigan State previously, he chose to graduate from high school early and begin his college career at Memphis.
Bates missed time as a freshman at Memphis due to injury and plummeted dramatically in NBA draft estimates after failing to meet expectations. For his sophomore season, he transferred to his local team, Eastern Michigan.
Meet The Inspiration Behind Emoni Bates, His Parents
When it comes to supporting, Emoni’s parents never shy away from the slightest chance that they might get to support their “not-so-little” superstar.
Emoni was born into the household of his father, Elign Bates, and his mother, Edith Bates. His father is a basketball skill development trainer and is currently affiliated with the Ypsi Prep Academy, where he has trained many talents, including Emoni.
As per his LinkedIn profile, Elign was also affiliated with Money Motivated Entertainment, which is based in his hometown. In 2008, he created Bates Fundamentals, where he teaches basketball skills. Elign Bates played Euroleague basketball before moving into entertainment and basketball training.
From June 1999 to 2004, he was a member of Euroleague Basketball for almost 4 years and 8 months. There is no mention of the precise role or position he held at the time.
Emoni’s father has an associate’s degree in psychology from Kentucky Wesleyan College, which he earned in 1997. He then attended Eastern Michigan University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services.
His mother, Edith, loves her son very much, but she says that she is the “bad cop” of the house. She only allowed him to go to the gym and shoot some hoops after he finished his homework.
She also adds that the player has a very brash side as he is even willing to throw hands and elbows at times, but she likes to ignore that side of him and look more into his soft side, which includes seeing him sing Disney songs such as “Moana.”
Is Emoni Bates Being Dropped out of the 2023 NBA Draft?
Once speculated as perhaps “the best high school prospect” since Lebron James, Emoni is speculated to be dropped out of this year’s NBA draft.
As mentioned earlier, he had to lose a lot of game time during collegiate basketball due to injury. This had a serious impact on his skills and gameplay style.
Bates had transferred to Eastern Michigan after struggling on the court and suffering a back ailment. He was suspended shortly after being arrested over the offseason.
The player was charged with two felonies, one of which was concealing a weapon, but the charges were eventually withdrawn.
He was sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty to a minor gun offense. Now his defensive metrics are very discouraging for recruiting teams.
In the opinion of Bart Torvik, there are just a couple of players on record who are his height or taller and have a block percentage and steal percentage, both less than 2%.
Bates falls short of both requirements, which is why he might be dropped out of the 2023 NBA Draft.
