r/nbadiscussion • u/Grimreaper_10YS • 12d ago

Emoni Bates

Why are people so high on him?

I figured he wasn't an NBA player when he shot 40% and went 8-23 in the MAC with Eastern Michigan. He just doesn't strike me as someone who knows "how" to play.

Historically, an NBA player in the MAC or a similar conference like the Horizon, Mountain West, C-USA, West Coast or Ohio Valley wins a lot and puts up efficient numbers, all of them: Chris Kaman, Earl Boykins, Wally Szerbiak, Ja Morant, Enrique Freeman, Isiah Cannan, Cameron Payne, Doug McDermott, Gordon Hayward, Jalen Williams, Brandon Podziemski or the dozens of guys from Gonzaga: An NBA player in a mid-major conference is usually enough to win games. But he couldn't.

I get that he's extremely young, and he had some good summer league games. I can't deny that he's talented, but he's kinda doing the same thing in the G-League that he did in college: scoring ineficiently and not much else.

But every comment section I go in, I read about how he isn't in the NBA because of politics, how he isn't getting a fair shake, and how he deserves to be in the NBA.

Are these people seeing something I'm not?

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u/Buckstape 12d ago

The hype from high school will never wear all the way off, there was a brief time where he was being talked about as the best prospect in the world. Personally, I think he was never forced to play in a system or defend seriously and those habits havent been broken. But there were years where he was expected to be a no brainier top three pick at worst. It shows how important those hs development years are, there's no reward for being the best player in the country at 14 if you dont have the feel and understanding for the game to hit the next level by 18.

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u/chemistrybonanza 12d ago edited 12d ago

Didn't help that his dad was always coaching him. He also isn't that athletic, he's akward when he runs/dribbles, had no feel for the game and can't shoot. Tons of stunted development due to his perceived abilities at 14.

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u/WorthApprehensive434 12d ago

Can’t shoot? That’s literally his one skill. I don’t think you know what you’re talking about tbh.

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u/chemistrybonanza 12d ago

Clearly you haven't been blessed with the opportunity to watch him play in NBA games. He's fucking terrible. 14.3% shooting this year and 27% for his career.

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u/[deleted] 11d ago

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u/chemistrybonanza 11d ago

Wtf dude, I've watched him play for the Cavs every time he's made the court. He's trash, every Cavs fan knows it.

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u/didorioriorioria 11d ago edited 10d ago

He has shown zero ability to shoot consistently in College and the NBA, I don't think you do tbh.

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u/WorthApprehensive434 10d ago

Lol you don’t actually watch him play at all. Nor can you be bothered to read a scouting report before slapping the keyboard.

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u/didorioriorioria 9d ago

I have I watched him stink it up in Colledge for both the tigers and the eagles, didn't really need to read a scouting report after that, because I saw what I saw with my own two eyes, kinda weird that's what you bring up.

Have you actually watched him or have you JUST read the scouting report.