NBA Draft Scout: Emoni Bates Has 'Tons of Talent'; Predicts Early-to-Mid Round 2 Pick

Ahead of next month's NBA draft, former Eastern Michigan forward Emoni Bates has been turning heads at the draft combine in Chicago this week.

According to Forbes' Adam Zagoria, scouts are still torn over Bates' evaluation, but the team who takes a chance on him will benefit as he develops over the next few years.

"Bates will probably be an early-to-mid [second-round] pick," one scout said. "Tons of talent. Off-the-court issues have killed his positioning."

Bates faced felony gun charges after he was pulled over by police while driving someone else's car. Marijuana and a gun were found in the vehicle. The charges were dropped last fall.

In the two games he played during the draft combine, Bates recorded nine points on 4-of-9 shooting with five rebounds, two blocks and a steal followed by 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting with two rebounds, two assists and a block.

The 19-year-old was once considered a top-five prospect in the class of 2021, but his college career at Memphis got off to a tough start due to injuries. Upon transferring to Eastern Michigan, he averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

If Bates manages to reach his full potential, the team that takes a chance on him will be getting a hidden gem in the 2023 draft.