Bates on Watch List for Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis Tigers freshman forward Emoni Bates has been named to the watch list for the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, announced Wednesday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bates, who was selected to the Preseason All-American Athletic Conference Second Team, averaged 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season as a junior at Ypsi Prep Academy in Ypsilanti, Mich. He was the 2020 Gatorade National Player of the Year after averaging 32.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game in 2019-20.

Bates reclassified to the Class of 2021 to be eligible this season along with Memphis teammate Jalen Duren, and the duo formed part of the nation's top-ranked recruiting class.

Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February down to five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.

Previous winners of the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award include Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (2021), Saddiq Bey, Villanova (2020), Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga (2019), Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).

For more information on the 2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #ErvingAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday.

2022 Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Marcus Bagley              Arizona St.
Matt Mayer                   Baylor
Kendall Brown               Baylor
Jabari Walker                Colorado
Hyunjung Lee               Davidson
AJ Griffin                      Duke
Matthew Cleveland        Florida State
Jalen Wilson                 Kansas
Lucas Williamson          Loyola-Chicago
Emoni Bates                Memphis
Caleb Houstan              Michigan
Justice Sueing              Ohio State
Ron Harper Jr.              Rutgers
Julian Champagnie        St. John's
Harrison Ingram            Stanford
Timmy Allen                  Texas
Kevin Obanor                Texas Tech
Jaime Jaquez               UCLA
Patrick Baldwin Jr.         UW-Milwaukee
Jermaine Samuels        Villanova

Up ahead for the Tigers is a pair of preseason exhibition games at FedExForum against LeMoyne-Owen on Sunday at 4 p.m. and Lane College on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m.

Season tickets for all 18 home games in 2021-22 start as low as $100 per seat and are available online at www.GoTigersGoTix.com or by phone at (901) 678-2331.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Athletics, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the department's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

University of Memphis Athletics

Bates on Watch List for Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award

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Emoni Bates

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