Emoni Bates, the No. 1 player in the 2022 class and considered by many to be the best high school candidate since LeBron James, announced his verbal commitment to the State of Michigan.
But the 203 cm striker is unlikely to ever become a Spartan.
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Bates has not been heavily recruited from college programs as the NBA is expected to waive its “one-and-doed” rule and allow the best high school players to complete their 16-year high -School to jump straight into the professional ranks.
“I am not sure what the future will be, but I am now committed to the State of Michigan,” said Bates when he announced the decision about ESPN. “They have shown me love since I was in seventh grade and have been recruiting me for a long time.”
This made Bates’ decision to get involved in the state of Michigan surprising at the time.
While the most likely option is to jump straight into the NBA, Bates could go overseas after high school or join the NBA’s minor league partner, the G League.
High school freak banned
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The best prospects in high school class 2020, such as Jalen Green, the No. 1 prospect, decided to join the G League money-making program instead of going to college. LaMelo Ball, which is expected to be a top choice in this year’s design, spent the past season in Australia.
“It is good for certain players. That’s a lot of money, ”said Bates when he went to the G League, adding that if he had to choose between the two, he would choose college.
“I don’t really intend to, I don’t think I will [the G League]. It’s good for some people, but I don’t think I’ll go that route. “
If the NBA doesn’t allow high school players to go straight to the draft by 2022, Bates could also reclassify to class 2021 and join draft 2022 after a gap year.
“I’m not going to reclassify,” said Bates, who was named the first student to be Gatorade National Boys basketball player of the year in April. “I will probably play for two more years [of high school]. It really depends on how this year is going. After this year it will tell me everything I need to know. I can’t make up my mind about that right now. If it is too easy after this year, I could – but if not, I will probably play another year. “
Bates is the first five-star prospect to commit to the States of Michigan since Grizzlies’ tall man Jaren Jackson in 2017.
He plans to attend a new preparatory school that his father Elgin opens this fall for his last two years at high school.
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