King James Gospel
Fansided

1 Low-end, 2 realistic, 1 dream player comparison for Cavaliers’ Emoni Bates

By Tony Camino

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
May 5, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) controls the ball against the Toronto Raptors during game three of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
May 5, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) controls the ball against the Toronto Raptors during game three of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Realistic: Prime J.R. Smith with Cavs’ J.R. Smith’s Athleticism

When I think of players who take incredibly difficult stepback contested threes that seem impossible to make, none other than J.R. Smith comes to mind. Throughout his career, Smith was known for his electrifying jump shooting, maintaining a career shooting percentage of 37% on approximately five attempts per game. Particularly during his time with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, Smith did significant damage in the mid-range area. He and Bates share similarities in their pull-up jumper game, which was a hallmark of Smith’s 16-year career.

Although Bates may not possess the same level of athleticism that prime J.R. Smith had to finish over and through defenders at the rim, their remarkable shot-making abilities are reminiscent of each other. Unfortunately, they also share a similarity in ball-handling consistency and decision-making, which sometimes leads to turnovers. Bates had significant ball-handling responsibilities at Eastern Michigan, and perhaps redefining his role within the offense could help limit turnovers and enhance his overall game feel.

At his peak, J.R. Smith was an 18-PPG scorer and won the Sixth Man of the Year award, which would be exceptional value for the 49th pick. Despite the flaws in Smith’s game, he found ways to contribute to multiple teams and even became a champion. Bates possesses a similar playstyle to J.R. Smith, which gives me confidence that he can find ways to make an impact in the NBA.