The Cleveland Cavaliers had just one pick in the recently-concluded 2023 NBA Draft. It was a late pick in the second round too, so the Cavs just had to make sure that they made the right decision. Ultimately, they decided to go for Memphis Tigers standout Emoni Bates as the No. 49 overall pick.
Most basketball fans would be familiar with Emoni Bates. At the very least, the name should ring a bell. After all, the 19-year-old was once touted as the next LeBron James. Unfortunately for him, the phenom-level trajectory of his career from middle school went tumbling down in the succeeding years. Be that as it may, the important thing is that he’s now in the NBA, and the Cavs are more than happy to give this young man an opportunity to prove his worth.
If you ask Atlanta Hawks star Dejounte Murray, however, he believes that the rest of the league made a mistake in not drafting Bates. According to Murray, he has no doubt in his mind that the 6-foot-9 swingman stands out as the top talent in his class:
“BEST IN THE DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Murray’s comment read.
The Hawks guard decided to drop in on the comments section of Bates’ own IG post. In it, the new Cavs recruit shared some videos of himself working out on the court. Murray was clearly impressed with what he saw, and there’s no denying that he’s been a big fan of Emoni for quite some time now.
Dejounte Murray’s sweeping declaration on Bates should fire up Cavs fans everywhere. After all, this was a low-risk, high-reward pick for them — one that could pay dividends for them in a major way in the not-too-distant future.