Emoni Bates Announces Final 8 Including G League, Overtime Elite, MSU, More

Emoni Bates has narrowed his list of finalists to eight choices. 

Among the college basketball ranks, Oregon, Memphis, Michigan State, Baylor and Miami are still in the hunt. Bates is also weighing a possible move to the NBA G League, Australia's National Basketball League or Overtime Elite.

The 6'8" small forward is the No. 2 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022.

Bates' finalists are a testament to the new normal for prep stars. Perhaps he winds up spending a year in college, but it's equally plausible he decides he'd rather focus entirely on preparing for the NBA. Eight experts on 247Sports predict he'll go the pro route.

Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Daishen Nix all chose to play for the G League Ignite, while LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton spent a season in the NBL prior to arriving in the NBA. Bates wouldn't be breaking new ground by choosing either of those options.

Were he to select Overtime Elite, it would be a major coup for the project.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Tuesday that 16-year-old Romanian Tudor Somacescu signed with Overtime Elite to give it 12 players so far. That followed Jalen Lewis making the same commitment. Lewis sits No. 12 in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2023.

Green, Kuminga and Nix helped provide a lot of steam to the NBA's G League pathway. Star recruits may see Overtime Elite as another viable substitute to college or playing overseas if it can bring Bates into the fold.