The Detroit Pistons are headed toward a total rebuild as a young star rises in their own back yard. Could high school sophomore Emoni Bates be their LeBron James?
The Detroit Pistons have had great individual players in their history — Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Grant Hill, Ben Wallace, etc.
However, they have never had the opportunity to have a homegrown talent that lives up to those names.
As the franchise looks to rebuild in the coming seasons, it could have the chance to get that in Ypsilanti-Lincoln’s Emoni Bates.
https://twitter.com/BatesEmoni/status/1122188613796732928?s=20
Bates, 16, is the star small forward for Lincoln and is considered the standalone star of what will be the 2022 graduating class.
He’s listed at 6’8, 200 pounds as a sophomore and has scholarship offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Florida State, Kentucky, and DePaul, according to 247 Sports.
Bates is the best high school prospect since LeBron James — fundamentally better than Zion Williamson was in high school.
Former NBA player and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said on The Jump that Bates would be a lottery pick if he could come out in the 2020 NBA Draft.
https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins/status/1229964596016033792?s=20
Perkins can be one to embellish — but he makes a good point when you look at the general mystery behind the upcoming draft class.
Bates has the potential to be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft as the NBA will be going back to allowing players to enter the league directly after high school — and the Pistons might be there to get their “Chosen One.”