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…