Going with this thread b/c I like the title better
YOU HATE TO SEE IT
/checks notes
Oh wait, no you don't. Not in this case. Not at all.
First few comments on RCMB are some variety of “who cares” and “oh well.” Quite a treat
"Kid would've been a headache."
"Fine by me."
OK, sure. Whatever you say.
Actually, all of the comments are similar to what is said about him on this site. However, this one was pretty comical.
LOL. The #1 kid out of HS since LeBron decommits and the first 4 responses are:
"meh"
"saw it coming"
"not surprising"
and "fine by me"
What's next? "We have better options", "Tom cooled on him" and "He wouldn't have made academics"?
These are the same posters who played the Bates card in response to Sparty basketball issues
Honestly, if he wanted to play for Michigan, would you want him? I don't think I would.
If he wanted to do a one-and-done here, and Juwon Howard was on board, um, yeah.
Howard isn't going to let one kid destroy his team. Bates is very young. Maybe the whole drama with his own high school and the Jaden Akins conflict has been a wake-up call. We don't know him. He walks out there next year in the maize-and-blue and absolutely I'm delighted.
I doubt it will happen. A lot of money is going into this concept of transitioning players into the NBA, and it will be a while before colleges adjust. But I trust Howard to navigate this kind of thing properly and if he signs Bates, terrific.
Not sure why the downvotes, I agree.
nope. hard pass.
Breaking: Emoni Bates tells me he’s decided to reopen his recruitment and will decommit from Michigan State. Open to both college and pro options.
— Tipton Edits (@TiptonEdits) April 30, 2021
#1 Ranked Prospect in the 2022 Class.
It's confirmed (via 247 Sports)
G league here he comes
Assumed he'd go the G-league route and let MSU down easy but this is way better.
Responded below where it makes more sense...
None of this should surprise people. He's a really good player but he never seemed remotely interested in college ball.
This wasn't a pro announcement. All he said was that he's decommitting from msu. There's a slim but possible chance he still goes to college, just somewhere else. And THAT would frankly be hilarious
I kind of wanted him to go to State, just to see it implode. That kid would not do well under Izzo.
Yeah, he probably really doesn’t know yet how to proceed, so he’s leaving his options open until he does. And why rule out college? If he still entertains recruiters then he can get some of those McDonalds bags.
/ducks
Confirmed by his Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/COTe7Axs2fQ/?igshid=182twe5292h3i
I know Bates gets dogged on here quite a bit for perceived attitude issues, but I don't know how you can watch his highlights and say that he isn't an elite prospect.
Dude is athletic and moves very effortlessly.
Don't just watch his highlights, watch an actual game and see if your opinion changes. I don't believe his AAU team has won a game this spring, and they have been blown out in 2 games.
This. Highlights are just that. Kid has a lot of talent but he also matured earlier than his peers. He's been largely the same size, 6'7", and has only added about 10 pounds since his freshman year. He was bigger and more athletic than everyone then, but kids are starting to catch up to him and pass him in some of those departments now, and I think it's starting to show in his production and in his play if you watch. He still has a ton of talent, I am not suggesting he is not elite or he should fall to a 3* or something crazy, but the whole "next Lebron" thing is way off. Kid can stroke and has the ability to beat people off the dribble, but he also looks a lot like he's playing 1v1 street ball when he touches the ball. He wants to beat his defender and score, and that trumps a lot of things for him. Every bucket sees him flexing on his opponent and giving them a stare down. Frankly, it's been nice to see him underperforming a bit to hopefully check his ego. Like I said, kid is talented, but watching him play full possessions, he's a worse basket case than Josh Christopher IMO and that is more a detriment than anything
Have people really said that he isn't elite? I mean, he's a 5 star, but not in the Lebron or KD stratosphere he was initially anointed to. Either way, it's a win win for Michigan fans. If he goes to msu, his forced three pointers drive izzo crazier and he get relegated to the bench (the honorary Jaren Jackson bench warming role). Or, he de-commits.
only the most delusional MSU fans thought he'd actually play in college
Normally I would never encourage people to go over to RCMB, but they are coping with this in the funniest way possible. And that's coming from a Michigan fan!
In response to him being called "the #1 kid out of HS since LeBron":
Since Lebron ? This must be a joke. He has been horrendous against comp. he’s been the same size since 9th grade , can’t get by his man , volume shooter , and etc etc.
Number 1 kid since Antione Joubert, you mean.
For over a year on this very board, I’ve done all but guarantee Bates would never step foot in East Lansing.
It was never going to happen for many reasons. I had multiple sources very close to the situation confirm it to me over the last year so I’m not surprised.
I also took a bit of heat for not having him as my #1 overall prospect in HS. To be candid, the better question is whether he’s really a top 5 overall prospect in HS.
He’s an outstanding prospect with tremendous upside. But labeling him “Baby KD” is delusional.
Here's your mic back, think you dropped it back there ???
I mean you're right. But I think the opinion that he'd never go to MSU has been a widely held one since the day he "committed."
Man IDK who gave you any heat, but I have long wondered about the "top 5 overall prospect" notion since watching some of the other players at various other AAU or high school teams. Always assumed I was alone in that thought
I never thought he'd stick with his commitment but one of my students used to play with Bates and said that he truly planned on going to MSU until the falling out with his teammates and current Sparty commit.
According to sources, East Landfill liquor stores are increasing staff hours for the weekend.
The consensus on RCMB is that they didn't want him anyway.
I mean any reasonable MSU fan out there has been expecting this since the day he committed. Hell I don’t think any college basketball fan who’s been paying attention has expected him to stay committed.
I’m sure even Izzo has been halfway expecting this since Day 1.
I’m wondering if this wasn’t an agreement all along, hoping that his commit would land them other high end talented players? If so, it didn’t ever materialize like they wanted.
I wonder if Max Christie is suddenly looking at the G-League.
I am just stuck on the concept of a reasonable MSU fan. Both of my parents went to MSU, my sister did as well. Much of my high school class went there. I know many rational MSU graduates.
I am drawing a blank coming up with an example of a reasonable MSU sports fan.
Life is good
Anybody know if he can play defensive tackle?
Dude’s a regular Chet Holmgren.
At least now people can voice their opinion on here about him and it not get labeled as sour grapes. Hopefully for the kids sake he will start matching the effort with his obvious God given talent and really make something of himself
April 30th, 2021 at 10:57 PM ^
Not following him closely but it sounds like his personal high school was a mistake.
April 30th, 2021 at 11:16 PM ^
Who could have guessed that?
HAHAHA eat shit Izzo.
This was a horrible comment! Why am I laughing out loud?
I legit opened my mouth and laughed. Who knew asshole comments were so funny?
Watching him as a freshman at Ypsilanti Lincoln I saw the KD comparisons. He didn’t show a ton of ego and was honed in by upperclassmen. As a sophomore the ego started to show and this year, the hype, his own “school”, all led to him being a full on AAU player in the worst sense.
He right now is trending more towards Shabazz Muhammad than Zion Williamson.
This seems like a way more probable path than any of us thought just last year. Sad. Hope someone reigns him in for his own good.