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.
