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It was just last August that Emoni Bates committed to play ball for the Memphis Tigers. Following the footsteps of Penny Hardaway, Tyreke Evans, Will Barton, and Derrick Rose, Emoni and company looked to bring the school its first Division 1 championship. Ultimately falling short of their goal in the round of 32 to the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the runner ups for the 2021 tournament.
One month after a four point tournament loss, Bates announced via Instagram he was entering the transfer portal: "Thank you Tiger Nation for embracing me and all of you who supported our team throughout this season. With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal. Thank you!" A peculiar move it was for such an intriguing prospect and talent.
As the spring season passed by and summer approached, many wondered where his next destination would be, as he was once viewed as a top-2 NBA prospect. Emoni announced late June he would be taking his talents to Eastern Michigan, placing him closer to home.
During Fall of 2022 headlines broke that the former consensus five star recruit was arrested about two miles from campus in Superior Township, Michigan. The arrest consisted of a ‘failed traffic stop’ which resulted in a firearm being discovered in the vehicle he was driving, in which Washtenaw County sheriff’s office described as having ‘altering ID marks.’ Fans and close followers of the story are hoping that new details emerge as Bates now faces an uphill battle to regain the good graces of the basketball community.
Here’s A Timeline Of Emonis Eventful Post HS Career:
June 29, 2020: Emoni Bates announces via SportsCenter that he’ll be headed to East Lansing, joining the Spartans Rich basketball culture: "As I do know right now, I will be committing to Michigan State University."
April 30, 2021: Bates announces he’ll reopen his recruitment via Instagram: "I would like to thank Tom Izzo and the coaching staff at Michigan State but I have decided to reopen my recruitment. I'm not sure what my future holds but I am keeping all of my options open, both college and pro."
August 24, 2021: Emoni announces he’ll be committing to Memphis Tigers. This move was quite the shocker as many analyst and commentators expected Bates to take the professional route as peers like Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green did.
January 27th, 2021: Emoni steps away from the team for treatment for what Memphis coach Penny Hardaway described as a ‘lower back injury.’
March 17, 2022: Emoni returns to action for his March Madness debut, scoring 3 points in 3 minutes of play.
April 16, 2022: Bates announces he’ll be entering the NCAA transfer portal. It was rumored that he was considering six teams for his new destination: Michigan, Arkansas, Seton Hall, DePaul, Louisville and Eastern Michigan.
August 23, 2022: Bates commits to Eastern Michigan as he takes the next step in his hoop journey: "I love my city, and coming home to do something special was big for me.”
September 18, 2022: Emoni is arrested in a ‘failed traffic stop’ that resulted in a firearm charge.
If convicted, the penalty for carrying a concealed weapon is up to 5 years in prison and a $2,500 fine. The penalty for altering a firearm is 2 years in prison and a $1,000 fine. A fall from grace could be imminent or a miraculous comeback could be in the works for Bates.