Michigan State basketball getting another visit from Emoni Bates

Although he may never step foot on campus as a student athlete, Emoni Bates is getting the full-court press from Michigan State basketball.

After an exciting week in Michigan State athletics that was all started with a win by the basketball team over Illinois on the road thanks to Xavier Tillman’s dunk, Tom Izzo and Co. are hosting one of the most highly sought-after recruits in recent memory.

Emoni Bates is expected to make his way to East Lansing on Saturday night for the Michigan State vs. Maryland game and it’s just another in the long line of unofficial visits for the sophomore.

While he hasn’t heard much from other colleges despite being the No. 1 recruit in the 2022 class, the amount of talent he possesses is enough to scare these programs away because of the likelihood that he heads off to the NBA after high school. The one-and-done rule will likely be gone by then and that means Bates could be headed to the draft as the No. 1 overall pick.

But in the unlikely case that he spends one year in college or graduates high school early and reclassifies to 2021, Michigan State is hoping to be the undoubted destination.

Bates is the clear No. 1 player in the country and is rated a 100 overall by 247Sports which is about as rare as it gets. He has also earned the comparison to Kevin Durant by the recruiting website and his 6-8, 200-pound lanky frame definitely resembles the Nets’ superstar.

If Michigan State is able to land Bates in 2021 assuming he reclassifies, the Spartans could have one of the best recruiting classes in the country with a couple of other top-100 prospects from the state of Michigan giving the green and while a look.

For now, though, Bates will continue taking unofficial visits to East Lansing, growing more comfortable with the team, the campus and the staff.