Emoni Bates' debut with Ypsi Prep on Thursday night showed why basketball analysts consider him the best high school basketball player in the country, despite still only being a junior.
In a game aired on ESPN2, the 2022 Michigan State commit scored 36 points (shooting 11-for-22 overall, 4-for-11 from 3-point range) and grabbed 10 rebounds in an exhibition game against Chet Holmgren, the consensus top player in the class of 2021, and Team Sizzle (from Minnesota). Bates' teammate, 2021 Michigan State signee Jaden Akins, also impressed with a 15-point outing.
[ Meet Tom Izzo's Michigan State basketball recruiting class for 2021 ]
Here are three observations from Thursday's game:
[ Izzo anticipating Bates, Akins' debuts with Ypsi Prep ]
The Kevin Durant comparisons for Bates are well-earned
Bates made his presence known early, running the length of the court in long strides for a dunk for Ypsi Prep’s first points.