Michigan State assistant coach, players watch 2022 star Emoni Bates

Michigan State assistant coach Mike Garland and Spartan players Cassius Winston, Rocket Watts, Aaron Henry, Marcus Bingham were in to watch 2022 prospect Emoni Bates on Thursday.

Bates finished the game with 48 points and 13 rebounds in a 78-49 blowout win for Lincoln (MI) in their last regular season game. Lincoln enters the playoffs with a 17-3 record, with their first game on Monday night.

Michigan State’s Cassius Winston, Rocket Watts, Aaron Henry, Marcus Bingham & assistant coach Mike Garland walked in for Emoni Bates @BatesEmoni of @SplitterNation vs @Mykelbingham7 #Spartans https://t.co/xpCUOSK6PM

— Andrew Slater (@Andrew__Slater) March 5, 2020

The Class of 2022 star has been compared to a young Kevin Durant — and may go straight from the preps to the pros if the one-and-done rule is collectively bargained out by 2022, as Adam Zagoria wrote this Forbes.com piece over the summer.

But for now, head coach Tom Izzo and his staff are actively recruiting the Michigan native — in case he does end up in college in 2022.

Bates was in attendance for Michigan State’s 78-66 win over then No. 9 ranked Maryland last Saturday.

It may turn out that Bates never spends a day on a college campus. But if the rule doesn’t change, he could end up going to college. And Michigan State is putting in the work.

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