The Cavaliers selected Emoni Bates with the 49th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday.
Considered to be the “next big thing” early in his high school career, Bates’ path to the NBA draft has been anything but smooth. He reclassified in order to join the Memphis program ahead of the 2021-22 season, but Bates struggled before deciding to transfer. A return home to play at Eastern Michigan nearly turned into a nightmare due to an arrest on a gun charge, but Bates was able to take care of business away from the court. On the court, he posted gaudy numbers for a struggling team. Bates’ offensive gifts can’t be ignored, but there’s still plenty of room for growth as a playmaker and scorer. He gives the Cavaliers welcome size on the perimeter, especially when considering the fact that their starting backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell is one of the smallest in the NBA.
