Eastern Michigan University basketball star Emoni Bates was officially selected in this year’s 2023 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 49th pick.
During his lone year in an Eagles uniform, Bates averaged 19.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.4 APG through 30 games played this season.
Bates is now just the fifth player in EMU basketball history to be selected in the NBA Draft, and the first to do so since 1998 when Derrick Dial was selected by the San Antonio Spurs at pick 58 of the second round.
The former number one high school basketball prospect in the world, who landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated at just 15-years-old, had the sports world buzzing once again after his 43-point performance against Kent State where he ended the first half chalking up 29-straight points himself.
Bates excelled at this year’s NBA Draft Combine, specifically in shooting drills. He finished first in “shooting off the dribble,” knocking down 25/30 (83.3%), and finished second in the “three-point star” drill, going 19/25 (76%).
The Ypsilanti native will now get the chance to live out a dream of his that has been in the works since his childhood.
