YPSILANTI, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A year away from home and Emoni Bates has decide it is time to come back home. After playing for Memphis this past season, Bates has chosen to come back to Michigan and his home town of Ypsilanti to finish out his career.

“I love my city and coming home to do something special was big for me. I’ve known several of the guys on the team from playing together and competing. Having a strong relationship and bond with my teammates and coaching staff was important to me. I’ve been working really hard over the years, especially this summer, against great competition to continue to get better,” says Bates.

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Bates, a NBA prospect already, stands at 6-foot-9 and averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last year at Memphis. He was the first sophomore to win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in 2020 ahead of Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley who are both drafted in 2021. Cunningham was the no. 1 overall pick.

He comes back to Ypsilanti with some history in Michigan. He led Ypsilanti Lincoln to a Michigan State Title in 2019 being named Division One Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He then transferred to Ypsi Prep Academy for his junior season that was cut short due to CoVID-19 and he by passed his senior season to enroll early at Memphis. His first commitment in high school was to Michigan State but he later de-committed to play at Memphis.

EMU head coach Stan Heath will now have the biggest name, ever, for the program under his watch. This past season, EMU went 10-21 in Heath’s first season and will be seeking a NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 1998.

Heath says, “I am extremely impressed by his love for the game, work ethic he has on his craft, and the passion he has to be great. I was encouraged by his character and who he is as a person. One of the first things he said to me was the importance of having a great relationship with his teammates and coaches, which meant a lot to me.”

Bates joins three other transfers to EMU in Tyson Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech/Duquesne), Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown), and Legend Geeter (River Rogue, Mich./River Rogue/Providence). Currently, this transfer class is fourth in the nation listed by 247Sports.

“I realize what a special moment this is by having a no. 1-ranked player in the country in Emoni Bates join our program. He is an NBA talent and we are committed to winning and helping and his teammates reach their dreams,” said Bates.

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Bates is a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year that averaged 32.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. He finishes with, “Happiness equals success; never compromise yourself to lose what’s most important. Your happiness is everything.”