REPORT: Emoni Bates, Major Oregon Ducks Basketball Target, Set to Announce Decision
5-star small forward Emoni Bates will announce his college commitment Wednesday, according to a report from 247Sports' Travis Branham. He will make his decision between Michigan State, Memphis, Oregon and the NBA G League.
Bates is a 6-foot-9 small forward who attends YPSI Prep Academy in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He is rated the No. 1 SF and the No. 5 player in the country on the 247Sports Composite.
The Ducks entered the picture late for Bates with an offer in late July. However, the offer was enough to grab his attention. The former Michigan State Pledge (July 2020) legitimized Oregon's status as a true contender when he decided to take an official visit to Eugene last week.
That trip came after an official visit to Memphis, which has three commitments in its 2022 recruiting class and recently produced Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
It's worth noting that Memphis recently landed a commitment from center Jalen Duren, a top-five talent nationally from Montverde Academy in Florida. He, along with Bates, reclassified to the 2021 class with hopes of being eligible this season.
However, with Bates the situation is a little different. He's only 17, which means he won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2023 and would have two seasons to play at his school of choice, should he spur the G league.
With the Tigers' having some serious momentum on the recruiting trail, including the additions of former Oregon center Chandler Lawson and his brother Jonathan, a former Duck commit, Oregon might be emerging as a long shot.
Dana Altman already has Oregon's 2022 recruiting class humming with commitments from 5-stars Dior Johnson and Kel'el Ware. Despite being heavily projected to pursue a professional basketball career instead of a college career, Johnson has been a major recruiter for the Ducks on social media with their top targets on the recruiting trail.
The Oregon basketball program has added its share of elite talent in recent cycles like Isaac Johnson, Nathan Bittle and N'Faly Dante, but this year's haul is trending toward uncharted waters. Part of that could be due in part to new name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation, which many believe has already begun to serve as a major bargaining tool for schools to keep top-ranked basketball recruits in the college ranks instead of playing overseas or in the G league prior to entering the NBA.
As it goes in recruiting, the Ducks getting the last visit could bode well for a commitment, as they will be the team with the freshest impression on Bates' mind. The time and location of a commitment is not known at this time, but fans can follow him on his social media accounts below.
Read more: Emoni Bates' Memphis Visit Causes Social Media Stir
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