Tamar Bates sat at the podium in Indiana’s press conference with his eight-month-old daughter after Indiana’s 90-51 win over Jackson State.
Leilani Nicole Bates sat at the podium with her father, pacifier in mouth, and spent her first Thanksgiving in Bloomington and watched Tamar play for the first time this week.
“I’m really grateful that my family can be here. This was her first two games… I see she’s excited too she’s trying to play with the microphone,” Bates said postgame, garnering a laugh.
It was an offseason of learning, growth and development for Bates. But that wasn’t isolated to the court.