3. © 2020 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. Emoni James-Wayne Bates(born January 28, 2004) is an American basketballplayer who attends Lincoln High Schoolin Ypsilanti, Michigan. 24 retired, was also first-team All-Big Ten as a junior while also scoring 20.1 points as a sophomore and 15.8 as a freshman. He is a consensus five-star recruitand the number one player in the 2022 recruiting class. “Last night E.J called me and said Emoni wanted me to be there,” Davis told The News on Monday, about the ESPN announcement. Scott Skiles (1982-86): One of the most fiery players in program history, Skiles was a consensus second-team All-American as a senior in 1986, the same season he averaged 27.4 points and 6.5 assists. Emoni Bates, a freshman-to-be at Ypsilanti Lincoln, is regarded as one of the top ninth-grade basketball prospects in the country. “They’ve been showing love to me since I was in the seventh grade,” Emoni said of the Spartans. He earned All-American honors that season and with 1,914 points, ranks seventh in program history. Unfortunately, I can’t coach him anymore, but we’ll do our training and I’ll do my evaluations and give him some tips; that’s never going to change. 10. 8. Mike Robinson (1971-74): Had Robinson been able to play as a freshman, there’s no telling where he might stand in the MSU record book. He averaged 16.8 points and six rebounds as a senior while shooting 42.5 percent on 3-pointers and being named Big Ten Player of the Year. He helped the Spartans reach their first Final Four in 1957 as a sophomore and earned All-American honors in each of his final two seasons. Jesse Davis (Photo: Robin Buckson, Detroit News). Elite three-level scorer. Emoni James-Wayne Bates (born January 28, 2004) is a high school basketball player who attends Ypsi Prep Academy in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In back-to-back seasons, Bates was named Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. Mateen Cleaves (1996-2000): The Flint native was the heart and soul of Tom Izzo’s 2000 national championship team, capping his career with three straight Big Ten titles and becoming the Big Ten’s all-time assists leader, a spot he held until this season when surpassed by Cassius Winston. A small forward, he stands 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) and weighs 205 pounds (93 kg). Michigan State has a real shot at landing the best high school basketball prospet since LeBron James. He left MSU as the program’s all-time leading scorer at the time before being drafted No. Charlie Bell (1997-2001): A prolific scorer coming out of Flint, Bell was part of one of the most impressive stretches in team history. Bates, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, was on … The 6-foot-8 small forward from Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, chose the Spartans over a … 4 hangs in the Breslin Center rafters for a player whose 850 points as a senior still ranks as the best in MSU history. After leading MSU to the national title game the season before, Lucas’ injury didn’t keep MSU from getting back to the Final Four, but likely ended any shot of another national title for Izzo. Simpson also averaged 10.3 rebounds and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors while garnering third-team All-American recognition from the NABC. The list includes Earvin "Magic" Johnson (left) and Greg Kelser, teammates on the 1979 national champion. 5. You’re playing 30-to-40 games, then you go to AAU season, then some guys go to USA Basketball – when do you get a break? Bates averaged 28.5 points and 10.2 rebounds his freshman year, joining four senior starters from an 11-10 team to not only help Lincoln win its first conference championship in 15 years, but first state title in program history. 42 has been retired, Peterson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, the first to do so without being a starter. © 2005-2020 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Can score in a multitude of ways. Bates, who just finished his sophomore year at Lincoln… Emoni Bates, who recently made the cover of Sports Illustrated, is a 15-year-old position less phenomenon (note: that’s a notch above phenom) from Ypsilanti, Michigan.Halfway through his freshman season at Lincoln High he was already drawing comparisons to Kevin Durant. Extremely thin but has great length for such a skilled player. On Monday, Bates and his teammates took on Ann Arbor Pioneer in an MHSAA district playoff game and things got ugly. Emoni Bates may be the biggest high school basketball recruit since LeBron James. Jay Vincent (1977-81): Vincent was a key piece to the 1979 championship run, even as he was hobbled during the tournament by a foot injury. E.J. Emoni didn’t plan on reclassifying and would be a junior in the fall at Lincoln. His best season came as a junior in 2006-07 when he averaged 18.1 points and 4.3 assists while making 114 3-pointers, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors and almost single-handedly getting the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament. 17. Elite, elite prospect. “I’m not sure what my future may hold, but I do know as of right know I will be committed to Michigan State University,” said Emoni, a 6-foot-9 guard, on ESPN’s SportsCenter as he was alongside his parents, brother, and Ypsilanti Lincoln coach Jesse Davis, a longtime friend of E.J.’s. Unable to play as a freshman, Simpson’s sophomore season was spectacular. 1 pick if league commissioner Adam Silver gives Bates’ 2022 class the right to immediately enter the draft. Then he is drafted to play college basketball for Michigan State and viewed as the best high school prospect regardless since high school. Analysts have called him the best high school prospect regardless of class. It was always in the back of my mind anyway that it would happen sooner or later, maybe his senior year, junior year, I really didn’t know so I’m not surprised. Emoni Bates, a 16-year-old phenom out of Michigan, became the first high school sophomore to ever be named Gatorade’s National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Emoni Bates , a forward for Ypsilanti Lincoln High School and the top player in the class of 2022 has verbally committed to Michigan State as of now. Morris Peterson (1995-2000): As Mateen Cleaves’ running mate for four seasons, a run that culminated with the 2000 national title, Peterson hardly took a back seat. For Bates, Thursday night marked his debut with Ypsi Prep Academy after he spent his first two seasons at Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where he won a state title as a freshman in 2019. Bates, of Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this year became the first sophomore to be named the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. According to multiple reports, Bates’ prep school will be run as a Michigan satellite campus to Aim High Academy. Emoni Bates is a 6-8, 200-pound Small Forward from Ypsilanti, MI. Drew Neitzel (2004-08): In a career that began as a freshman on the 2005 Final Four team and ended as the young group led by Kalin Lucas was taking over, Neitzel filled the gap as one of the most versatile guards in the Izzo era, standing out as both a point guard and shooting guard. Ypsilanti Lincoln head coach Jesse Davis consults with Ypsilanti Lincoln's Emoni Bates (21) during Ypsilanti Lincoln's home opener against Adrian at Lincoln High School … I’m big on loyalty and they’ve showed me all loyalty, so I have to show them love back.”. Plays with strength, though, and doesn't avoid contact. He bumped his scoring average nearly five points the next season, averaging 25.1 as a senior while earning consensus second-team All-American honors. Dangerous offensive rebounder. Ypsilanti Lincoln basketball phenom Emoni Bates, the No. Go through the gallery to view The Detroit News' top 20 Michigan State basketball players of all-time, compiled by Matt Charboneau. Honorable mention: Paul Davis, Maurice Ager, Jason Richardson (pictured), Gary Harris, Eric Snow, Alan Anderson, Bryn Forbes, Raymar Morgan, Chris Hill, Keith Appling, Shannon Brown, Nick Ward, Andre Hutson, Durrell Summers, Branden Dawson, Matt Steigenga, Adreian Payne, Kirk Manns, Julius McCoy, Horace Walker, Kevin Willis, Matt Costello. Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only. “So as long as he got the offer that he wanted and wanted to participate at and the school he actually wants to play for I’m happy.”. His No. Nationally Ranked High School Players (per 247) #1 Emoni Bates (YPSI Prep Academy) Class of 2022 #4 Amari Bailey (Sierra Canyon School) Class of … He is a consensus five-star recruit and the number one player in the 2022 recruiting class. (Photo: Dave Reginek, Special to The Detroit News), National Gatorade High School Player of the Year award winner Emoni Bates. 1 player in the class of 2022, will make his debut for Ypsilanti Prep this week in front of a national audience. A link has been sent to your friend's email address. 13. It's possible the NBA’s one-and-done rule could be a thing of the past by the time Bates’ high school eligibility has run out, so he could go straight to the pros. Then, you wonder why in your first year, if you do go in the league, you’re dealing with injuries the whole time. 16. (WXYZ) — Emoni Bates is the Gatorade national boys basketball player of the year. Two years ago, … 18. Bates was asked on SportsCenter why he felt more schools didn’t offer Emoni during the recruiting process? In the first matchup of the year, Lincoln went to Ypsilanti's sold-out gym and beat the Grizzlies 68-56 behind Emoni Bates' 43 points. “Everybody loves the basketball player Emoni, but I know Emoni the kid. 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