How Emoni Bates Killed His NBA Career In 3 Steps 

His parents failed him, and he also didn’t have any patience enough to wait until he was ready. It seems to me that he just took his basketball potential for granted and became unprepared for the college level. Hopefully, he can turn his life around any day and find solace in it.

this kid was failed by his parents and people around him. it just goes to show you its never one person who makes the league, it takes good people helping you along the way. I hope he finds his way.

Same thing happened to Kyree Walker. He gave up on high school and skipped college.

People gotta stop telling kids that whatever they'll do, they will succeed no matter what. That just isn't how life works. Nothing is guaranteed, even with all the talent in the world

The media really needs to stop acting like every HS player that averages 20 is the next MJ, Bron or KD. It really is a huge flaw in basketball culture right now

This happens surprisingly often when a player has too much hype too early. When you've got your parents, coaches, scouts, agents, handlers, and the whole internet telling you you're the greatest thing ever, it's hard not to get entitled and complacent. I don't blame the kids. They're teenagers and their personalities are still developing. I put it on everyone who overhyped him.

Breaks my heart as a Michigan native to see him fall this far. I’m still rooting for him but it didn’t have to be like this :(

Thanks to the Cavs, he made it. #49

It's so sad that a once projected 1st pick of the draft and to have a promising career is now in jeopardy. I think the biggest mistake he made was that he rushed the whole process, Success takes time and it's not something you can speed up

welcome to the cleveland cavaliers with the 49th pick of the 2023 NBA draft

I'm a freshman in college and I remember being a freshman in high school seeing so many highlights of this dude and being excited to see him in the NBA one day. It's crazy how quickly things can take a 180 but that's how it is sometimes, especially with mega-hyped high schoolers.

Cleveland Cavaliers believed when others didn’t

Yessir Another Andy Post. He showed a lot of promise in highschool, I hope he can get back on the right path.. Keep grinding bro, you inspire me.

Fame went into his head, even more into his dad

He's young. He can still turn things around. But hopefully these events will teach him a thing or two. Comeback strong young buck.

Just won summer League championship

Rumor is that he decommitted from MSU because izzo wouldn't let him play point guard and wouldn't change the offensive system. Emoni wanted the offense to be like it was a ypsi where everything ran through him (which if you saw how many contested mid range shots he put up in high school clearly wouldnt have worked) It's a shame he didn't end up coming to MSU. Chances are if he had learned solid fundamentals and had some senior leaders to lean on when he was struggling he'd be viewed a lot differently today.

Do a quick update on bates

Yessir another Andy Hoops Saturday post 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 always looking forward to these videos

Just came back here after he got drafted by the Cavs.

That's quite a story. Great commentary on a sad tale. I hope Emoni can pull it back together.

Yeah he might not even get drafted now. Him playing at Memphis exposed him badly.

He literally just dropped 30 on 11-11-22... I think he just beat the odds 💎

This is what happens when you get too much, too early. Everyone around him gave him bad advice because they thought he was a sure thing. Greed took over with people putting the cart before the horse. This is why sometimes you rather draft an underdog who's had to work his whole life to get somewhere, rather than some hyped prospect. At least with the underdog, you KNOW he's got the work ethic and won't take it for granted.

Seems similar to Julian Newman, with the parent steering the kid wrong, except emoni was a legit prospect.

I grew up in Saginaw and went to college in Ypsilanti. I can’t lie I understand bro wanting to get out and rushing the process, if it was me I can’t say I would have done it different. He’s a hell of a worker and I’m still rooting for bro!

Great video. Straight to the point and entertaining.

Dang, hope he makes it. I’m 34 now and I had a lot of athletic friends in hs. The superstars that had big dreams and didn’t make it now don’t even want to talk about the sport sometimes, it hurts too much. Feel bad for them, I know they miss the cheers and the hype. There’s not much in the world that brings you the same feeling as team based competition

I'm not condoning him driving around with an 'unmarked' gun, but living in Michigan can be dangerous. I'm sure he was only carrying it around for protection. It's not like he was drunk, on drugs or in a gang. Videos like this don't help his public perception it only makes it worse. I'm rooting for this young man, and I want to see him succeed! He seems like a good guy, not a 'cancer' or a 'problem'. Wishing you the best EB, take care homie! 🔥🙏🏾🔥

🐐 youtuber, love ur vids man

Always good Content! Keep it up my guy! 🤘🍻

I’m a Memphian and huge Memphis fan. I was really looking forward to him coming back this year until he transferred. He was definitely not ready for college level last year. As someone who watched every game, he really hurt the team when he was in. One of the biggest problems was that he was an epic ball-hog. If he touched the ball, he was going to shoot it - dude did not pass. It really hurt Memphis’ chemistry. That’s why he was benched for a “back injury” which led to Memphis dominating the end of the season and making the tournament. With all that being said though, you could see sparks of his potential and he definitely has talent. He just needs to figure out how to be a team player. I’m sure it’s easier said than done when you’re “the guy” your entire life though. I’ll still root for him if he’s actually able to play again with those felonies.

It feels like his dad tried to copy Lavar Ball and overly control his son’s future, but instead he ended up destroying it. If he had just done things the normal way instead of believing that Emoni was better than it, he’d probably be in the NBA or G League by now.

who else here after the cavs took him?

Ur take on it was beautiful 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Emoni Bates will be drafted 2nd round at the least. He was at the NBA Combine scrimmage game and he started.

He’ll be back!! Still has time on his side!! And he can regain and put himself back on the path to greatness, in whatever field he chooses!

i think the move to Eastern Michigan was excellent. gives him a chance to develop this year and potentially lead the team to the post season. that would get him back on the NBA map for sure

Should not have rushed things. He was guaranteed a spot in the league. It's not like his family was poor and in need for money,

He’s still young he could get back on track Never give up keep grinding He’s talented enough to play pro ball even if not in the nba

As a Michigan state fan. I’m glad he passed on us

This just makes think about smart and mature lebron was at an younger age. Just think about that and the decisions he made at that age.

94k views in 1 day congrats Andy proud of u bro

' easy to get on top, harder to stay there" so many things to navigate at such a young age. Still got time if can get mind right and right people around. Hoping to see a come back story of dude.

30 points per game, yes he is lottery bound, quit counting people out for a bs arrest. He was also on an allstar team at Memphis.

His story sounds like a good 2k mycareer starting point

Once Emoni talked down on Melo after Melo brought him to a shooting session it was clear there were some big mental hurdles to get over

Definitely just sad and hate to see this happen to this guy , just sad

just looked him up , he is playing for eastern michigan , and had 30 points against michigan. they only lost by 5 points .maybe this young man still has a chance to lead a productive live.

He’s 18 and healthy he didn’t kill his career just yet

Does anyone miss Andy’s “how good was X player NBA actually?” Videos ?

You need to make a video on how parents overstepping their bounds has backfired. Would be a great topic.

At 5:29, you say “The Spartans 21-22 season was very volatile” Memphis are the Tigers, not the Spartans. Otherwise, great video like always!

Thanks for talking about his inner circle, ruined him before he even had a chance imo

He just got drafted by the cavs and We love to see it now make a new video!

Forget basketball im jus hopeful this young man has a great life! He gon be ok.We all grow at different speeds.Salute young king.

I imagine if he would’ve done 4 years at Lincoln and 1 year at Michigan State he would’ve still been a lottery pick even with a mediocre year of college ball. Life is all about decisions.

As a basketball fan in SE Michigan and having seen Emoni play in a number of AAU and HS games, he is fabuliously talented. There is a genuine question if he was given "too much" hype when at the time he was bigger, faster, stronger then kids his age. However he is a good kid and has a solid family so I don't question that he can turn things around. The video doesn't mention that the vehicle he was driving wasn't his and he has stated that neither was the weapon. I pray the best for this young man and hope to see him move forward.

Still rooting for you young man. You can bounce back from this

I won't make a guess about the character and psychology of someone I don't know nearly enough about to make a truly educated guess on, but I will say that I pray that he does turn it around just for his sake as a human being. I was a child prodigy as well, though for academics. I had a very tumultuous childhood, I was offered a book deal for my autobiography at 17, but didn't take it seriously. I had joined a gang by that time and instead of attending an Ivy League college, I fought, robbed, and sold drugs, eventually ending in prison. I'm nearing 50 now, I live in a shitty apartment in a shitty neighborhood, struggling with health issues stemming from stab wounds to my lung and the domino effect of shit that has happened as a result of my bad decisions. I think about what my life could have been and I'm working hard to salvage what I can, but it's almost certain that I will never come close to reaching what my potential was. I don't wish that on anyone (besides Nazis and sex offenders, who I hope all die slow, horrible deaths and as soon as possible). Regret is a motherfucker. I remember watching A Bronx Tale in the hospital several times while I laid in my hospital bed recovering from surgery after getting stabbed through the lung, what the protagonist's father played by Robert DeNiro said to him about how important it is to not waste potential. So true. My life has been a tragedy, I pray that this young man can find it in him to turn it around before he ends up sitting on his couch in his mid-40s typing his sob story on his phone as a RU-vid comment, hoping that his prayers for some other young person are answered before it's too late for them as well.

Future Cavs All Star

6'9 Steph Curry??? But did he have a 40 inch vertical?

Welp this video aged well

Grew up around emoni, him playing my school. Just sad to see him go down some weird ass path and throwing it all away. He was a dawg at Lincoln

Bates is 18 and just dropped 35 on Michigan

Ranking a kid #1 in middle school is always a recipe for disaster

Coming back here after his 30 point debut with Eastern Michigan…

I still have hope

Hate to see this happen man!! These young men have got to learn from their predecessors!!

This aged well🤣🤣 Emoni about to prove people like you wrong

His Dad didn't do him any favors. All they had to do was wait. It's been some 1st round picks that put up crappy numbers, but got drafted on potential so he still had a shot. The success & money was gonna come eventually.

Dude’s whole situation is like the embodiment of “smh”

Basically peaked at high school

He got flat out exposed playing at Memphis. And now with his off court issues, it looks like he won’t even sniff the NBA. Very sad.

Atleast now he got drafted in 2nd round this year. Not bad .

Emoni could be a basketball RU-vidr someday but that’s it

Emoni Bates never had an NBA career to begin with lol.

At 5:30 did he just call the Memphis Tigers the Spartans? 😆 🤣 😂

Look at him now back playing better than ever @ eastern Michigan looking like a lottery pick

Do an update on how well he’s doing at EMU

I think his biggest mistake was stressing after his freshman season. He really wasn't that bad. He still looked like a future 2nd round pick at worse.

He is currently projected to be selected somewhere in 50-60th pick in the upcoming draft. My guess is if he falls into a team with a good organization and not a ton of championship ambitions for the next two seasons, he can definitely succeed. I don't know how high his ceiling is, but if he has the work ethics and talent that was suggested in his early high school career, and a little luck, he can become an all-star

Emoni looks like one of those dudes who are Thanos in HS, where 99.999% of his comp arent sniffing NCAA or NBA level.

Damn that’s crazy I used see him on 2k simulations all the time , 😢

aged terribly

Such a sad story. I live not too far from him and I've watched him since he's been in middle school. He has such potential. Just got found with firearms.

He did it he bounced back thank God 🙏🏽🙌🏾

He is back at school

Makes horrible decision and choice and the comments say they feel bad for him? I can feel bad for someone screwing up God given talent like his, I can only hope we don’t see it happen to someone else

Lol this aged well

Aren’t you even gonna talk about his wingspan ?? That was another moment when scouts realize the Kd comparisons died there immediately

We need a top 5/10 best role players of all time

Ahhh emoni bates, the yearly MVP in 2k simulations

Bruh he just dropped 30 on Michigan a few days ago and was making pro level shots.. as long he stays outta trouble he’ll be a lottery pick if he continue to work hard!!

It did hit me that we might not see him in the nba that sucks we watch him play melo & Zion been waiting on him to hit the league

And now he's drafted!!!!!!!! Bro beat the odds 🙏🏾🙏🏾

All Yal in the comments sick he back and ballin

He’s literally back on the court now. You just couldn’t wait to make a video like this

So crazy he just had a 30 point game w eastern michigan

He just got reinstated and the charges got dropped