YPSILANTI, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Coming up on June 22, the NBA Draft will take place at the Barclays Center in New York two Michigan natives in Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis and Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates will be looking to have their name called in the second round. Both players have been predicted to either be late second round or undrafted signees.
Davis had the opportunity work with the NBA G League Elite Camp in May for the Microsoft Surface NBA Draft Combine 2023 from May 15-21. He was a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year, an AP Honorable Mention All-American and USBWA third team All-American, and finished second all-time in NCAA history in scoring. He averaged 28.2 points per game and holds four NCAA records for total three-pointers (588), 3-pointers by a freshman (132), consecutive games in double figures (144) and total games in double figures (144).
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A Sports Illustrated preview on Davis said ‘he had a great start to the pre-draft process and shot the ball well at the G League Elite Camp. From here, it’s all about what he can do in front of the teams in individual workouts.’ Sports Illustrated has him as a potential second round pick.
For Bates, ESPN and the Bleacher Report have him going in the second round to the Brooklyn Nets at no. 51. Another mock draft has him going to Boston at no. 52. The highest he is predicted, by YahooSports, is 46th to the Atlanta Hawks.
Bates, who was the no. 1 player in the nation for 2022 but reclassified to 2021 going to Memphis, transferred to Eastern Michigan University last summer. The Ypsilanti, Mich., native averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for EMU being named All-Mid-American Conference honors. He is the 47th rated player on the Sports Illustrated Big Board. Bates draft status moved up after his shooting skills were shown off a the 2023 NBA Draft combine in May. He finished tied for first in the shooting-off-the-dribble drill going 25-for-30 tying Penn State’s Seth Lundy.
Both players will find out their fate on June 22.
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