Emoni Bates Selected for Exciting All-Star Weekend Event

Cleveland Cavaliers two-way rookie Emoni Bates has played well in his first year in the NBA G League season and will be rewarded with a trip to NBA All-Star weekend.

Bates was selected to participate in the 2024 G League Up Next Game, according to Camryn Justice of WEWS. The rookie forward was the lone representative for the Canton Charge, who are 6-7 in the regular season after going 6-10 in showcase play.

Bates was selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Cavs after spending two years at the University of Memphis and Eastern Michigan. The 20-year-old forward immediately signed a two-way contract with the team and has been playing good basketball with the Charge.

The 6-foot-8 wing is averaging 24.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game this season. Bates is also shooting a healthy 41.7% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc on 11.2 attempts per game.

Bates, Sharife Cooper, and Isaiah Mobley make up an exciting core with the Charge, who hope to find their footing before the All-Star break. 

As for the two-way rookie, the Next Up Game is a great opportunity to showcase his skills and remind everybody that he’s still the same exciting player who had a lot of hype coming out of high school.

The 2024 G League Up Next Game is scheduled for Sunday, February 18, at 1:30 p.m. ET, and it will be streamed across the G League’s various platforms (website, YouTube, and app).

More Cavaliers news and analysis: