Former Cavs Second-Round Pick Has A Message That Relates And Resonates With Emoni Bates

Cleveland Cavaliers two-way rookie Emoni Bates has quickly formed a bond with a former second-rounder who's now coaching for the Charge.

Two weeks into NBA training camp, Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Emoni Bates is making a name for himself in rapid fashion. In just 25 minutes of floor time, the two-way forward is 8-for-15 from the field (5-for-11 from deep) with 22 points.

What’s more: Bates has been active on the defensive end, getting his hands on the ball a few different times. He’s been working hard to get rebounds too, and he has just one turnover with a ~27 percent usage rate.

It’s been a fast rise for the 19-year-old who is still just scratching the surface of what he can accomplish as a pro.

“Special, special. I say it every day: Teams are gonna really regret passing on 'em. [They were] basically listening to the chatter because the moment he walked in the gym, he wanted to outwork everybody, came in with a chip on his shoulder,” Cleveland Charge assistant coach and former Cavalier guard Daniel “Booby” Gibson told Cavs Insider.

“The best part about Emoni is he wants to learn. He's here to learn and get better. A lot of the talk was that he wasn't gonna be a good teammate, and it's been the complete opposite man. He's a great kid and I think he'll have a chance to play in this league for a long time."

Oct 12, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Emoni Bates (21) drives to the basket against Orlando Magic guard Trevelin Queen (12) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

"I told him: Some guys are meant to have that story where you're the No. 1, the top pick or whatever — but it's an even better story when you can come in the second round and then show guys if you don't quit and you keep being about the right things, you can prove everybody wrong," Gibson added. "And I think he'll prove a lot of people wrong for a lot of years to come.”

After the Cavs took him with the 49th overall pick this summer, Bates and Gibson quickly grew close.

“Booby, that’s my dawg. That’s like my big brother,” Bates told Cavs Insider. “As soon as I got drafted, he texted me. For me, that’s a good role model to have in my corner. He played in the NBA and he’s been through it. He just texts me and calls me and gives me little ideas and things to work on, so I just take it all in.”

It hasn’t taken long for Gibson to make an impact on Bates’ mindset.

“Just stay in the gym. That’s how you separate yourself,” Bates said of Gibson’s message. “Even when after [practice] people don’t want to be in the gym, that’s when you’ve got to be in the gym. That’s what gonna make me go from a good player to a great player. It’s really just [to] dial in and stay locked in and in the gym.”

Gibson has so many reasons to try to help point Bates in the right direction — one being that he's been in his shoes. The Cleveland fan favorite knows how gifted Emoni is as a player, but helping the rookie take his work ethic to another level is his goal.

“Being the 42nd pick, McDonald's All-American. I came in like thinking it was gonna be given to me, but I learned right away that in this league everybody's good, and you've got to work your way to the top. So that's what I'm trying to show him,” Gibson told Cavs Insider. 

“He scored 10 points [Tuesday in Atlanta], [but] that's not what I was most excited about. What I was most excited about is when he stepped on the court, he played like he belonged. He wasn't moving too fast, wasn't worried about making mistakes. He played like he belonged. So I think the coaching staff and I think he put the world on notice that he's gonna be here to stay.”

Seeing these two connect within the Cavs walls feels like a perfect match. Bates and Gibson are going to uplift each other in their respective roles in the organization.