Scouting Report for Denver Nuggets Undrafted Free Agent Signing Tamar Bates
The Denver Nuggets have signed free agent Tamar Bates to a two-way contract after he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Bates was the only player to appear in all 34 games for Missouri last season, and he set career-highs in field-goal percentage (50.8), three-point percentage (39.7), and free-throw percentage (94.6).
Bates thrives in transition, finds scoring windows off the ball and can finish effectively at the rim. Still, questions remain about his athleticism, ability to create for others and pull-up shooting, which could limit his upside if he’s asked to do more than play within a system.
A reserve off-ball scorer feels like the niche Bates is most likely to carve out. Players with that profile can grow into valuable sixth-man types, but without an early leap, a rotational backup role looks like the more realistic path.
Bates ranks No. 56 on B/R NBA draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's 2025 Prospect Big Board.
Previous Team: Missouri | Position: SG | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 191 | Age: 22 | Wingspan: 6’10.25" | PPG: 13.3 | RPG: 2.6 | APG: 1.0 | BPG: 0.1 | SPG: 1.3 | FG%: 50.8
Realistic Pro Comparison: Skylar Mays
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Bates is entering the NBA with a body type and statistical profile similar to Skylar Mays, but he has a bit more of a track record as a shooter than Mays did.
The former LSU guard shot 32.9 percent from deep prior to a senior season in which hes hit 39.4 percent of his long-range attempts.
Bates, on the other hand, has hit 38.6 percent of his threes and an eye-popping 93.5 percent of his free-throw attempts over the last three years.
Strengths
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Shooting: Bates is a lights-out shooter, and that goes beyond his three-pointers. A free-throw percentage north of 90 suggests Bates' form will translate to the NBA.
Length: Bates may be slightly undersized in certain matchups, but his 6'10"-plus wingspan could offset that to a degree.
Defense: Bates may not profile as a future high-end defender, but his length and awareness should help him survive in the NBA, at least on the perimeter.
Weaknesses
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Strength: As a 6'4" shooter, Bates may need to add a bit more strength and bulk to survive in matchups against bigger guards.
Three-Point Volume: This has a lot to do with his coach and role at Missouri, but Bates should almost certainly be taking more than the 3.9 threes he did as a senior.
Risky Defender: Bates can be a solid defender, but some of his gambles for steals hurt his team's defense.
