LeBron James Praises Dior Johnson, Emoni Bates for Performances at Nike EYBL

LeBron James has his eye on the next generation of basketball stars, and he praised both Dior Johnson and Emoni Bates at the Nike EYBL on Thursday:

Johnson starred for Vegas Elite, while Bates plays for Bates Fundamentals at the EYBL.

Each of these young players are among the biggest names in high school basketball, and both are rated among the top 10 in the 2022 recruiting class, per 247Sports. Johnson is the No. 9 player in the country and headed to Oregon, while Bates was a Michigan State commit before reconsidering his options in May.

While LeBron is clearly a fan of the sport, he has been tuning in to the high school game more often with his son coming up the ranks. Bronny James is currently considered the No. 30 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports.