DETROIT — Kevin Durant had just put in an excellent 43-point performance in a comeback win against the Detroit Pistons when he faced someone who many believed would follow in his footsteps for the past few years.
Emoni Bates.
The runner-up from eastern Michigan had just finished a game himself, scoring 19 points in a 79-77 win over Detroit Mercy, and was waiting in the bowels of Little Caesars Arena to chat with Durant.
Not only Durant, but also Kyrie Irving offered Bates words of encouragement in a long hug before the Brooklyn Nets left Detroit on Sunday.
Bates was recently given 18 months probation after a gun was found in a vehicle he was driving in September. He pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor last week, and The Detroit News reported that if he successfully completes parole, the conviction will be removed from his record.
“I like that he’s taking the complete opposite path in life,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I left school early, transferred from Memphis and got arrested. Went through some s***. You have to go through some shit in this life to really understand where you are.
“He’s playing a good ball. He’s been through a lot. He’s a little more grounded.”
To be clear, Durant did not condone Bates’ arrest. He just described the entirety of Bates’ path and how difficult it is – despite skill and pedigree – to reach the next level. Durant has followed basketball at all levels, so it was more than passing encouragement from Bates; there seems to be a real investment in him.
Bates has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated and won the 2020 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year, but he has yet to deliver on his promise. He averages 18.9 points and 4.9 rebounds for Eastern Michigan and shoots 46% from the field and 39% from 3-point range.
A prep star from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Bates sported a sleek sweater and is tall and lean like Durant when he showed up in the Washington, DC area. Durant resisted the urge to stay in the area for college and didn’t seriously consider the Washington Wizards during the free hand, but he thinks Bates might be better off being home.
The story goes on
Bates’ father Elgin was with him when Emoni posed for photos with Durant and Irving.
“He’s home. He’s got a support system,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “It could be worse if you’re not home and you don’t have that clout around you and you’re chasing after some other guys. It’s good to see that he’s over the moon now.”
East Michigan’s Emoni Bates shoots during a game November 11 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)