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Michigan State added their first commit in 2022 with the news that Emoni Bates has verbally committed to the program.
BREAKING: Emoni Bates, considered the best high school prospect in more than a decade, has committed to Michigan State.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) June 29, 2020
Bates is a 6’8” small forward from Ypsilanti that is both a five star recruit and currently considered to be the top recruit for his class. Bates choose the Spartans over a number of major programs, including Duke and Michigan.
“They get all my respect,” Emoni Bates said about Michigan State. “I love how they coach, Coach Izzo, I like how they focus on defense more than offense. That’s a big key in basketball and people don’t understand that. On and off the court, he has passion. He’s just an amazing guy overall.”
Bates is the first five star recruit for Tom Izzo since Jaren Jackson Jr. in 2017. According to an ESPN poll involving grassroots basketball experts, Bates ties as the third best high school prospect since LeBron James, only behind Kevin Durant and Greg Oden.
The rising star averaged 32.2 points and 10 rebounds per game last summer in the Nike Peach Jam and with the NBA not set to change the one-and-done rule, it looks like Bates will be playing college basketball for a season.
“I’m not sure what the future may hold, but as I do know of right now, I will be committing to Michigan State,” Bates said.
There’s always a chance Bates could reclassify and possible try to get to the NBA without playing a game on campus, which was a key reason many schools didn’t seriously recruit him. But for now it appears Bates will be taking his talents to East Lansing in the near future.