Juwan Howard Offers Ypsi Lincoln Star Emoni Bates--#1 Player in '22
There you have it, not long after MSU offers the #1 kid in the class of 2022, Michigan has followed suit.
He may reclassify to the class of 2021 which would allow him to go to college one year before the NBA likely gets rid of the One-And-Done rule.
This seems like a pipe dream at this point, but he's a local kid and one hell of a player.
I fully expect him to finish his H.S. career outside of Michigan. Hope he comes back, even if it's only for his freshman year.
I would have thought so too, until the Detroit News interview which was posted about earlier, in which his father, EJ, says the following:
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/07/09/stronger-emoni-bates-dominates-aau-circuit-preps-encore/1679891001/
E.J. Bates is no advocate of prep schools.
“Prep school is too much,” he said. “You’re playing 30 to 40 games, then you go to AAU season, then some guys go to USA Basketball. When do you get a break? Then, you wonder why in your first year, if you do go to the NBA, you’re dealing with injuries the whole time. It’s just because you beat up your body for too long. Your body has to rest.
“I don’t get the prep school thing. I feel like we can get it done here and still stay on course to accomplish our ultimate goal (of reaching the NBA). The Nike EYBL, you have the top guys all over the country coming to play in four different arenas during the course of the summer and there’s no slouch games. Just playing in that circuit prepares you.”
I like his dad....understands the importance of being a freakin kid too and allowing for down time. Respect
Man, would love to grab this stud but Im guessing we see him at your nearest NBA stadium in the near future. Dude is ridiculous
Good.
If he doesn't go to Duke, UNC, Kansas or Kentucky, that'll be interesting.
Otherwise, nothing to really see here.
People are talking about the 2022 draft as likely the first to allow straight-from-hs players, so pretty decent chance that if he continues to develop he doesn't play college ball at all.
The optimistic flip side of that consideration is that if he does play in college, he might not be approaching it as a typical one-and-done.
In the CBS article that was posted a couple days ago they made a couple of interesting points about his possible reclassification to 2021. Sort of citing the Zion Williamson 'model'. Getting in a college season allows for far more exposure than another high school one. Lining him up a national fan base as well as large endorsement opportunities for when 2022 rolls around.
It also had a few reasons to be optimistic about Michigan's possible chances with him if he does enter the '21 class. There was the big one that Mr. Bates has known Juwan for over 25 years. Being close enough that he went to Chris Webbers draft party with him. Then there is the fact that he started his own grassroots AAU team for Emoni to play on. He didn't want his son involved in all the politics and distractions of joining the shoe company funded teams. Makes me think should Emoni be deciding on a college that being the highest bidder may not be a positive.
The more I hear about his dad, the more I am impressed.
Wait, another 2nd place trophy!
Regardless of what happens with Bates, I'd like to see the NBA end the one-and-done farce. Let the kids that just want to get paid (above the table) start their career just like they can in almost any other profession that doesn't require a license. There will still be kids that want to play 1-4 years of college ball, especially if the NCAA gets forced into allowing name-and-likeness compensation.
The NBA age limit has nothing to do with NCAA amateurism and applies only to itself. Players can play professionally in other leagues. They’re also free to take a year off, sign a shoe contract, hire a personal coach, and train. They can earn plenty of money in that year, just not from the NBA directly.
I’m fine either way, but I don’t see the current rule as a giant hardship.
I agree, it should be two and done. Kids aren't ready for the NBA after one year, let alone coming directly from high school.
I agree, I think it should be 5 and done and they should be forced to redshirt because I know whats best for these kids.
BUCKLE UP!!!!
/S
I've got a good feeling about this one!
Is it cynical to think anyone with that talent could be reclassifying to get into college earlier and get paid earlier? The pay at a blue blood school is higher than joining an AAU team, yes, no?
What is the allure of playing at Kansas? One NC in 30 years.
Kan$a$ ha$ more $'$ in it than mo$t $chool$.
For a kid/family like Bates that won’t matter. They seem to have a wider vision. I think the publicity bump/hype that Zion was able to garner with a year at Duke showed something to the Bates family. Having that kind of leverage before signing his first shoe deal could be worth millions. I’d bet if he goes to college he’ll be very particular about what kind of team will be around him and the profile of the University and how it will effect his brand.
You don't think Zion got paid mid six figures to go to Duke? Lmao my family is very well off but if you offered me $250,000 I'd take it in a heartbeat. Why shouldn't I be monetizing my most valuable skill?
You don't think Zion got paid mid six figures to go to Duke? Lmao my family is very well off but if you offered me $250,000 I'd take it in a heartbeat. Why shouldn't I be monetizing my most valuable skill?
They get to wear ruby slippers.
They only have 1 title, but they're never bad.
They've made the tourney each of those 30 years and average 30 wins a season over that time period.
What is the allure of playing football here, then?
Indeed. Statements like that (1 title in 30 years!) can be incredibly misleading and misguided.
By that rationale, there is allure in playing football at Nebraska, but not at Oklahoma.
I feel like I’ve been hearing the one and done rule is going to end in 2022 for at least a year now and yet there’s nothing Ive seen confirming this to be true. I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets pushed back a year or 2.
Adam Silver has been hinting at it for a while...nothing can be done about it until the 2 sides meet at the collective bargaining table after the 2021 NBA season.
This is a no-risk proposition. If he accepts, it's gravy. If he doesn't, it's not like Howard had to get on a plane to recruit this kid.
(chuckle)
As opposed to the hypothetical where the next great basketball phenom was from Milwaukee or something, your stance would be:
"If we get him, great. But if we don't, I'm not sure I'm okay with the air fare"
Heck yea.
Go Braves! Purple and Gold!
Give some love to the Railsplitters.
He doesn’t go to Ypsi High, he goes to Lincoln.
Ypsilanti High doesn’t exist anymore either ...
Technically true, but people still call it Ypsi High.
In our hearts it does. C/O 99!!!
I know nothing about film evaluation, but the kid’s game just seems so advanced for his age. If it wasn’t for his absurdly lean frame, you would never guess he was a (young) high schooler.
Lincoln has never been that great at basketball, and they won the entire state of Michigan with him as a Freshman. Based on just that, I'd have to think this kid is pretty special.
I think he would have trouble choosing Michigan right now, but another 1 or 2 deep tourney runs and a couple more 1st round NBA draft picks, and he will see this as a great jumping off point in college.
It wasn’t all him - Lincoln had a strong group of seniors - but he would get them a bucket when they needed one. He’d pick his moments though. You’d watch them and think he was deferring a lot to his teammates but then look up at the scoreboard after the game and see that he had 30 points.
The crazy thing is that if he really wants to assert himself he might put up 40 a night. He’s that good.
Bates very well could end up at SPIRE, Hunington Prep, or one of those powerhouses out east. He just too dominant for Michigan HS ball.
If he was eligible at age 15 to enter this past draft, he would have been drafted in the first round. The phrase "elite talent" is thrown around a lot and the last player locally to get that title was Josh Jackson and we know how he has panned out both at Kansas and in the NBA. Bates is different though, probably one of the most skilled future #1 recruit we have seen in a while. It's not just a matter of being so athletic like Zion, Bagley, Wiggins, etc. and dominating the competition.
Yeah, this kid has a very high ceiling. He already has skills that someone like Zion probably will never obtain.
Excellent. Juwan must have read my post from the other day and followed my advice. Seriously though, this is a no-brainer for Michigan. Being one of his first big time basketball program offer has value and you never know. His Dad has said he has not ruled out playing in college. I'd think if he did play college ball for one year, staying in-state would be a likely possibility.
kid has great talent but also has attitude/respect issues. I would think that would have to change a bit for Howard to truly want to take him on (even if he were interested).
This take is DUMB.
What evidence do you have that he has an attitude issue? Do you know him personally? Or are you just being a dickwad?
Gonna need some sources on that one
And anyway, he's also a 15 year old boy. They're all dumb. I was a dumb 15 year old and I turned out fine.
First I’ve heard of attitude issues. I assume he is hyper driven and from what I’ve read the family focus on his development is maniacal, but I wouldn’t associate that with attitude issues. Any real evidence to support this claim?
Yeah, that’s bullshit. I know some of his teachers and have met him myself. He’s a good kid.
Nothing I have seen or heard speaks to these issues. Indeed, I've heard quite the opposite from people I know are at least sort of in the know here. Where did you get this?
I'd let Emoni Bates spit on my dad if it meant he'd play at Michigan.
You all obviously don’t pay attention to anything written about him. I’m not saying he won’t go elsewhere but He sounds to be very different. I expect him to finish high school where he is. His father sounds very legit about finishing too. Also if you read the article from the other day his dad goes back almost 30 years of knowing Juwan. Again not saying he goes Blue but don’t be so quick to write it off. Also if you haven’t seen him play he is the real deal.