When Shaka Slim made the move from Texas to Marquette, four-star shooter Tamar Bates opened his recruitment. That move opened the door for Indiana and the new coach Mike Woodson to run.
On Monday morning, Bates confirmed to 247Sports that he was committed to Indiana.
‘I’m going to Indiana to play for coach Mike Woodson, “Bates told 247Sports.com.
Woodson’s own history as a player and experience coaching in the NBA made an impression on the 6-foot-5 native of Kansas City (Cans.) Who spent his senior year at Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, but Bates felt what Woodson and his staff could do for him off the floor was more important than anything else.
“Beyond his own decorated personal achievements and honors, he just emphasized the importance of making me better as a person,” Bates said. “My family and I felt that it was around him and the staff that he was put together to be able to continue to build my mental capacity and help me grow as a young man only.
“I’m going to be a very important part of my life with them, and that was the only thing that mattered to us, to be in a group of men who were going to build me and have my best interests first.”
Currently ranks number 60 in the 247Sports top 150 and no. 56 in the industry, which generates 247Sports Composite, and Bates comes from a strong senior season where he was often the best player in a loaded IMG team. He is an attacking two-guard who can get to the edge, shoot well from deep, is a vigilant passer-by and has a long and thin frame that can easily carry more muscle. He is just as competitive as in high school basketball and also brings the defensive intensity. His future head coach thinks he will be fit.
“(Coach Woodson) just said that I personally fit his coaching philosophy and that it only comes on both sides of the floor,” said Bates. Offense for setting up the ball screen. He wants to implement a lot of NBA stuff into our offense , and we’ll have to buy to play defense, and that’s not a problem for me, I enjoy defense. ‘
While Bates is as intense as they get on the floor, he wants Hoosier fans to know he’s a loving kid off the track with a great personality.
“They just need to know first that I’m a very good person from the court and that I’m someone who will get a smile on my face when I get into a room, well,” Bates said. People might see the way I play, and think I might be stiff or not want to talk to anyone. But off the court I’m so stupid guy, it’s like a switch when I play basketball, I’m two different people. ”
Assets join a class that is a mixture of prospects and transfers in high school. Big man Logan Duncomb is also a four-star prospect, while Pittsburgh’s point guard Xavier Johnson and UT-Martin wing Parker Stewart are two of the best transfers of this cycle. Bates is excited to enchant them in Bloomington and looks forward to helping Indiana basketball get back on the map.
‘I’m excited to play for such a historic program when you talk about people like coach Bobby Knight and as much as they won. I’m just trying to go there to add to what they have there now because they have some good players. The goal is to bring Indiana’s basketball back to where it was and I go in with the same mentality to continue it. ”