Emoni Bates says he shocked the world once and is going to do it again

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Emoni Bates said on social media that he is going to shock the world again.

A second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Bates was once a prized recruit coming out of high school. However, he had a rocky collegiate career, playing one season at the University of Memphis before transferring to Eastern Michigan University.

Bates struggled to live up to expectations during his freshman season at Memphis. The lanky forward shot just 38.6 percent from the field and averaged 9.7 points per game with the Tigers.

However, he showcased some of his scoring prowess after going to Eastern Michigan. Bates averaged 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 40.5 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from beyond the arc in the 2022-23 season at Eastern Michigan.

Bates spent a lot of his rookie season with the Cavs in the G League. He did appear in 15 games for Cleveland at the NBA level, averaging 2.7 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 30.6 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc.

This season, Bates has not appeared in a game at the NBA level, as he missed the start of the campaign with a torn meniscus. However, he has appeared in 10 games at the G League level in the 2024-25 season, averaging 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 36.9 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3.

Bates has taken a bit of a step back from his first G League season. Across 27 total G League games last season, he averaged 21.6 points per contest while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from long range.

It’s unclear what Bates views as shocking the world, but getting himself into an NBA rotation certainly would be a massive step forward for his basketball career.

It may be tough for Bates to do that with the Cavs, as they currently have the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and are loaded with depth. Even 2024 first-round pick Jaylon Tyson has struggled to get consistent minutes for Cleveland.

But for now, Bates will look to play well at the G League level to showcase himself for the Cavs and potentially other NBA teams in the future.