Heading into the 2023 NBA Draft, Emoni Bates garnered a lot of attention from experts as he was labeled as the next Kevin Durant during his high school years.
However, Bates was humbled by the level of competition in the NBA as he was picked as the 49th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Even though the Cavs acquired him, Bates hasn’t really impressed many with his numbers this season.
On the upside, Bates is slowly but surely proving his talent while playing for the Cleveland Charge in the NBA G League.
Bates was recently awarded the chance to play for Team Detlef in the 2024 Panini Rising Stars during All-Star Weekend.
Bates’ performance in the game led to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ official Twitter handle praising the rookie.
What a first All-Star Weekend for Emoni. 🔥 #PaniniRisingStars | #GLeagueUpNextGame pic.twitter.com/3Y2C6odjHG
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 20, 2024
Speaking of Bates’ performance, he had 5 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block to his name in Team Detlef’s win over Team Pau.
He had a much quieter game against Team Jalen, where he had 2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist for Team Detlef.
Despite not putting up huge numbers, Bates made many fans turn their heads.
At the end of the day, if Bates can continue improving at this level, he will soon earn a permanent spot with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As of now, he has had 10 appearances with the Cavaliers, where he has averaged just 1.8 points, 1.0 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.
Considering the lack of consistent opportunities by the Cavaliers, it’s no surprise that Bates has struggled to bring his A-game to the table.
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