Emoni Bates picks Eastern Michigan

Emoni Bates, the former prep school sensation and Memphis transfer who was once widely rumored to be heading to Louisville, has picked Eastern Michigan.

Bates made the move back to his hometown of Ypsilanti official on his Instagram page.

So that’s that. One of the strangest recruiting sagas in recent Louisville basketball history (a statement which is carrying a significant amount of weight) has come to what feels like a fitting conclusion.

Bates was the consensus No. 1 player in the Class of 2022, but opted to reclassify to the 2021 class and commit to Memphis. His first and only season as a Tiger was ... up and down. After a mysterious midseason absence that saw him return to the court in the NCAA tournament, Bates finished the season averaging 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds over 18 total games. Beginning the year as the Tigers’ starting point guard, he finished the year with 42 turnovers and just 23 assists.

With this saga now concluded, it certainly seems as though Louisville’s roster for Kenny Payne’s first season is more or less set ... or at least that no one is going to be added who might dramatically alter the overall landscape of the season.

What a strange, strange summer.