Donovan Mitchell seems on board with the Cleveland Cavaliers drafting Emoni Bates

Cleveland Cavaliers’ star Donovan Mitchell doesn’t have an issue with newly drafted rookie Emoni Bates.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked Emoni Bates in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. The once highly-touted prospect was once compared to Kevin Durant but has since survived off of name recognition alone. He’s not someone the Cavs are going to rely on in 2023-2024 as they seek to rectify their issues from the 2023 season, but Bates could develop into a high-volume scorer if he’s committed to working.

While a lot of people have concerns about Bates, and rightfully so as he’s a very polarizing player, one person who is very excited about his arrival is Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is very high on the young prospect out of Eastern Michigan Univerity

Mitchell tweeted at Bates on Twitter, hyping up the rookie;

Bates responded in kind, suggesting a friendship between the two Cavaliers’;

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ faithful shouldn’t expect much from Emoni Bates

When a young athlete has the weight of the world thrust on their shoulders, they usually crumble. Whether it’s Tom Marinovich, Freddy Adu, Danny Almonte, Sebastian Telfair, or even Michelle Wie. While some of them, like Adu and Wie, found some success in the professionals, they didn’t live up to the lofty expectations they had as teenagers.

Bates, sadly, will have to do what so many teen sensations couldn’t do before him, find success as a professional. And the sad thing is, even if he becomes a 10-points-per-game kind of guy and a regular rotation member, will that be enough for some? After all, sports pundits declared him the next Kevin Durant when he was a teen.

He graced Sports Illustrated in high school. Anything short of a LeBron James-esc career may not be enough for some people, possibly not even Bates’ own family.

That’s a lot of weight to carry on your shoulders. Hopefully, Mitchell can help the young perimeter player find his way in the NBA.

• Published on 06/26/2023 at 20:30 PM
• Last updated at 06/27/2023 at 21:15 PM