Emoni Bates calling Ja Morant his role model has NBA fans in splits: “The next Mustang & Sally” 

Once ranked among the top prospects of his draft class, Emoni Bates saw his stock fall after a firearm incident. In 2022, he was charged with two felonies for carrying a concealed weapon and altering marks on an ID.

Because of his off-the-court issues, the Cleveland Cavaliers picked Emoni Bates in the second round of the NBA draft. While competing in Summer League, he opened up on how he wanted to go to the Memphis Grizzlies because he looks up to Ja Morant.

Given their histories, fans quickly began commenting on them as a duo, mainly bringing up their pasts regarding firearms. As everyone knows, Morant has been suspended 25 games after flashing a gun on social media for the second time.

Outside of remarks like this, the most common response from fans was they had to double-check the account. Based on the context, some instantly thought the post was made by a parody account.

How has Emoni Bates performed so far in his NBA career?

While NBA fans are taking the chance to poke fun at Emoni Bates for his relationship with Ja Morant, he's managed to impress on the basketball court. Through his first handful of Summer League games, the young guard is showing why he was once among the most-hyped prospects in his class.

Right now, Bates is posting averages of 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. He's also coming off a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies where he scored 21 points on just 11 shots.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were the only team willing to roll the dice on Bates, and it looks to be paying off. If he can continue to impress moving forward, they might arguably have the draft's biggest steal.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with the ability to score from anywhere, Bates is perfectly built for the modern NBA. The big thing for him will be maturing off the court. If Cleveland can help Bates with that, he could be a key piece to their future.

Right now, the Cavs have one of the top guard duos in Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. This puts little pressure on Bates, and gives him two players to learn from in the early stages of his NBA career.

Plenty of second-round picks have gone on to have successful careers in the league. If Bates stays out of trouble, he certainly has the potential to join that company.