Did Emoni Bates declare for NBA draft?

Emoni Bates was once of the top high school recruits in the country, and now is one step closer to playing at the highest level. On Monday morning, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the 19 year old has decalred for the 2023 NBA Draft.

Emoni Bates, 19, is a 6-foot-9 wing who can score from just about anywhere on the floor. Before entering the draft, he spent two seasons playing college basketball.

Bates' college career began at Memphis, where he played in just 18 games. During that time, he averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Following his freshman season, the former top recruit decided to enter the transfer portal. After departing from Memphis, Bates landed at Eastern Michigan for his sophomore season.

With a fresh start, Bates showed the potential that everyone expected to see at Memphis. He played in 30 games at EMU and posted averages of 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Now that he has hit the age requirement, Bates is opting to end his college career and join the ranks at the professional level.

Where is Emoni Bates projected to be selected in the 2023 NBA Draft?

While Emoni Bates was once a top recruit in the country, his shaky start to his college career cause his draft stock to plummet. He is still going to hear his name called on draft night, but it might not be as early as he once thought.

Headlined by Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 NBA Draft class is loaded with talent. Outside of the french big man, other notable names include Scoot Henderson and Alabama forward Brandon Miller.

As for Bates, early mock drafts have not been kind to him. Right now, he isn't even projected to be selected in the first round. Currently, he is mocked to the LA Clippers with the 48th overall pick.

With the draft still two months away, Bates has time to recoup some of his stock. Given that he was once a top high school player in the country, some team is going to take a flier on his potential.

A big chance for Bates to show off his skills will be at the NBA draft combine. Most of the top picks forego this, but he is no position to do so right now. If he can shine among other prospects in his class, it might help him get closer to being a first-round pick come June 22nd.