NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 6 finalists for Memphis transfer Emoni Bates

6. Arkansas Razorbacks

The Razorbacks have already landed four frontcourt transfers and the No. 2 incoming recruiting class. The roster, assuming starting center Jaylin Williams, will already be full for Bates, which is the first problem. But even if that gets figured out, Bates would be in the same situation with Arkansas as he was at Memphis, joining a roster filled with transfers and talented freshmen and might not even have a clear role on the team.

Although Arkansas has a top-5 roster, Bates can’t afford to have a small or decreasing role on a team if he wants to have a better NBA Draft profile. Could he outplay incoming five-star freshman wing Jordan Walsh to get minutes? Sure. But there are already potential chemistry questions on the projected roster and adding Bates could prove to be a disaster for both sides.

5. Eastern Michigan Eagles

One of the two local options, Eastern Michigan allows Bates the chance to be a featured player on the team and put up some huge numbers in the MAC. They have freshman point guard and leading scorer Noah Farrakhan (16.6 ppg) back while also recently landing Georgetown forward transfer  Jalin Billingsley and Duquesne transfer guard Tyson Acuff.

The problem is that the Eagles are coming off an 11-21 season and even with Bates joining the roster, may not be good enough to win the MAC. And how much will playing in such an inferior conference help his draft stock anyways? If playing in the state of Michigan matters that much to Bates, there’s another option on this list to consider.