Once-renowned basketball prospect Emoni Bates has gotten some familiar hype over the last few days in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers to a title win in the 2023 NBA Summer League.
The former Eastern Michigan Eagle was long ago regarded as the top prospect in his class before a tumultuous trajectory, was drafted at No. 49 in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Bates, flanked by Isaiah Mobley and Sam Merrill, helped to carry Cleveland to a 99-78 win over the Houston Rockets in the final. He poured on 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal and block apiece in the win. He shot six-for-13 overall and his two of his six 3-point attempts.
It was nearly a picture perfect Summer League for Bates, who is one of the more polarizing prospects in the basketball hemisphere.
At 6-foot-10 with a slender frame, Bates’ primary upside lies within his scoring prowess. But there were questions about his overall impact. Some of which were answered in the Cavaliers’ summer slate.
In a blowout win over Memphis, Bates saw his first strong performance of the summer, scoring 21 points, grabbing four rebounds, and nabbing two steals and two blocks. Had scouts seen more of his overall impact in his time at Eastern Michigan, he may have been drafted earlier.
In Sunday’s semifinal versus the Nets, Bates impressed again, scoring 20 points while shooting four-for-five from beyond the arc and adding seven rebounds.
All Bates needed to showcase was his ability to score. But he did that and more at Summer League, helping his position to vie for minutes on Cleveland's roster next season.
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