Eastern Michigan forward Emoni Bates could end up being the steal of the draft after the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him 49th overall Thursday.
He was once the No. 1 prospect in high school boys basketball and looked like a surefire lottery pick. However, his career got off to a tough start at Memphis, where he did not fulfill his tremendous potential. Bates played just 23.4 minutes per game, shooting 38.6 percent from the field for 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds on average.
A transfer led him to Eastern Michigan, where he blossomed in 2022-23, averaging 19.