Emoni Bates was one of basketball’s worst-kept secrets only five years ago.
Colleges and NBA scouts used to obsess over Bates during his high school games. Many considered him a future star and he was projected to be the best talent of the 2021 NBA Draft. However, unfortunate events unfolded, and now Bates is using a training camp invitation from the Philadelphia 76ers to fight for a spot in a league that was once obsessed with his talent.
The 76ers signed Bates, Kennedy Chandler, Malcolm Hill, and Jaylen Martin, who was later waived, to Exhibit-10 contracts, Paul Hudrick of Liberty Ballers reported Monday. Philadelphia’s training camp roster is set as it filled all 21 offseason roster slots amidst its negotiations with Quentin Grimes. Bates will face intense competition while fighting for his NBA livelihood.
Exhibit 10 contract :
— Gilbe Nese (@HojoTakeda) September 23, 2025
• Invitation to the training camp
• 76ers have a clauss that can convert it into a 2 way*
• The player get a cash bonus if he stays with the G-league team for 60 days
*Unlikely it happens considering the 76ers have already 3 players on a two way deal. https://t.co/t0pWfGz7wE
Bates’ rise to stardom
It took only one high school season for Bates to display his NBA potential. He averaged 28.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game in his freshman season at Lincoln High School. Bates led Lincoln to a 23-4 campaign and its first division state title while collecting a series of accolades, including Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. However, Bates wasn’t able to lead Lincoln to consecutive titles as its 2019-20 season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He transferred to Ypsi Prep Academy – a school created by his father – in his junior year. Bates finished the year with 23 points per game, led Ypsi Prep to a 7-3 finish, and was a finalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award. He then reclassified to the 2021 class to skip his senior year and was deemed a five-star college recruit.
The downward trajectory
Bates chose to team up with fellow highly-touted prospect Jalen Duren at Memphis, but his first year was underwhelming. He played 18 games and averaged just 9.7 points per game on 38.6% shooting from the field. Bates dominated the high school level with his scoring ability, but his lack of development narrowed the gap between him and his competition.
He transferred to Eastern Michigan the following year. The Eagles suspended Bates ahead of the season after he was arrested on gun charges, but he returned on October 13th, 2022. He notched 19.2 points per game and was named 2022-23 All-MAC Third Team, but led the Eagles to just eight wins.
Bates’ NBA draft stock plummeted between his lack of development and off-court issues. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected him with the 49th overall pick in the 2023 draft – a far cry from where he was once projected years prior. Bates spent two seasons in Cleveland where he totaled just 25 games. Now, he has another opportunity in Philadelphia.
What can he bring to the 76ers?
At six-foot-10-inches, Bates has emerged as a high-volume perimeter shooter in his young professional career. He averaged over 10 three-point attempts per game in two seasons with the Cleveland Charge – the Cavaliers’ NBA G-League affiliate. Bates is a microwave scorer who sometimes is overzealous from beyond the arc and is limited by his size defensively.
Still, his scoring prowess could be impressive enough to land him a roster spot on the Delaware Blue Coats. However, it’s unlikely he’d impress to a level where Philadelphia would waive Hunter Sallis, Jabari Walker, or Dominick Barlow to offer him a two-way contract. If Bates could iron out his defensive limitations and expand on his playmaking, there is undoubtedly a spot for him in the NBA.