Five-star prospect Emoni Bates, widely considered to be the top player in the Class of 2022, has announced that he has decommitted from Michigan State and re-opened his recruitment. Bates made the announcement in an Instagram post on Friday night.
“I would like to thank (head coach) Tom Izzo and the coaching staff at Michigan State but I have decided to reopen my recruitment,” Bates wrote. “I’m not sure what my future holds but I am keeping all of my options open, both college and pro.”
Bates, a 6’8″ forward, could attend another college, head overseas, or play in the NBA G League with the Ignite. Many industry and coaching sources believe he would be open to playing in the G League for a year, Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com reports.
The Ignite recently landed five-star prospect Michael Foster Jr. and top Chinese prospect Fanbo Zeng, with more young athletes expected to be added in the coming months. Projected high-lottery picks Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga were among those who played for the team this past season.
“Let’s just put it like this. Whatever options that are available to him, we will lay them out and present them to him, but the ultimate decision is his,” Bates’ father, Elgin, said of his son’s situation back in March, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes.com.
“If the G League is something he wants to do, if he decides that’s what he wants to do, that’s perfectly fine. He can do the G League. If Michigan State is what he wants to do, that’s perfectly fine. If he wants to entertain going overseas, that’s perfectly fine. If he just wants to sit out and train for a year, it’s whatever he wants to do. It’s his decision.”
Bates, 17, currently projects to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
“I’m not sure what my future holds but I have now proven that my word is meaningless.”
And no, I am not starting on a college vs pro thing. In this case it is not even part of the argument. My problem is that if you COMMIT to something whether it is college, the G League, the Euroleague, the NBA, or the lowest level of competition in Indonesia, you should keep your word. When it comes down to it, that’s all you really have. Bates could have an injury at any time and most people will just forget about him. Your physical skills are always only just temporary, but your word can last as long as you do.
So I guess you do not believe in divorce or changing jobs huh. Lol. A person has a right to follow whatever path they desire no matter the circumstances.
So you believe in divorce before you ever consummate the marriage? Or changing jobs before your first day at work? This is not a guy that tried something for a while, saw it wasn’t working, and then made the conscious decision to leave. This is a guy that made a commitment and then backed out before his first day.
I agree that a person has a right to follow whatever path they desire no matter the circumstances. BUT when they choose a path, they should stay on it for at least a little while. Otherwise, you are just not a reliable person.
He’s a coddled HS star. At 18 yrs old with his options. He’s going to change his mind more times. Just better grow up soon. Truth is he’s got a big future if he stays focused. Big 3 with a handle. Big time talent. Natural scorer.
Gonzaga
“We’ll lay it all on the table and whatever he wants to do is perfectly fine – it’s what it’ll be. If I feel like he’s making the wrong decision I’ll just bite my lip and keep it to myself – I don’t want us to become estranged and then he gets to the big money and cuts me off.”
Research before u comment. His dad played overseas for years. Made quite a bit of money over there. His Parents aren’t broke and need there kids money lol
Playing 5 years in Germany and Switzerland is not going to make you “quite a bit of money.” He probably made a decent living compared to regular folks, but I doubt he earned anywhere close to enough through playing to never need money again.
Probably making a decent amount of money running his own basketball development program though. Helps if you develop a #1 prospect and potential #1 overall draft pick.
dust…. research where he played overseas. Those places – even “A” league – their foreigners don’t make more than $3k a month now – if that lol! And when he played, not even that much… about $1,600-2,000. That’s with doing kids clinics and/or coaching kids on Saturday mornings!
Regardless, tho, if you couldn’t tell my comment was merely sarcasm and joking you should take some deep breaths and relax a lil bit. If my joking bothered your weekend, please accept my apologies.
G league or overseas makes sense. Or attend an HSBCU and make a statement…