Top 2022 recruit Bates reclassifies, eyes 3 NCAA options, G League

Emoni Bates, the top-ranked recruited on the 2022 ESPN 100, will reclassify and either head to college or the G League this coming season, he told Stadium's Jeff Goodman.

The 6-foot-9 forward said he'll join Oregon, Memphis, or Michigan State if he takes his talents to the NCAA. Bates, a native of Michigan, previously committed to Michigan State but backtracked in April.

Bates won't be eligible for the NBA draft for another two seasons because he doesn't turn 19 until 2023, creating the possibility of a top overall recruit playing multiple collegiate seasons - an increasingly rare occurrence in the one-and-done era.

While the NCAA is loosening its restrictions on student-athletes profiting from their names, images, and likenesses, the G League now offers another lucrative bridge between high school and the pro ranks.

The Ignite, the G League's upstart elite prospect team, had tremendous success in its inaugural season, producing three picks in last week's NBA draft: Jalen Green joined the Houston Rockets at No. 2, Jonathan Kuminga went to the Golden State Warriors at No. 7, and Isaiah Todd was the Indiana Pacers' selection at No. 31. All three played on six-figure contracts while with the Ignite.