SI All-American Candidate Tamar Bates Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: SG Tamar Bates
Projected Position: Shooting Guard
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 175 pounds
School: Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
Committed to: Indiana
Frame: Slim frame with room to add and develop muscle at the next level.
Athleticism: Bates is an athletic, southpaw scoring guard who uses his length and quickness to get to his spots on the court. Bates is stronger than he looks, which helps him finish through contact, and plays with a motor that remains in overdrive.
Instincts: Bates is a threat to score as soon as he’s within NBA range. He’s also extremely comfortable sliding over and running the offense, creating off the dribble for himself and his teammates. He has good feel and anticipates well on both ends.
Polish: Bates remains in attack mode and plays with intensity on both ends of the floor. His length is a problem for the opposition on defense and he plays passing lanes well. His ability as a three-level scorer keeps the defense off balance, and he’s a capable rebounder for the position.
Bottom Line: Bates’ mentality and ability to efficiently score on all three levels makes him an intriguing prospect. His length and motor coupled with those abilities will ensure that his impact will be felt early at the next level.