Las Vegas, nev. – Tamar Bates graduated from Missouri with a diploma in sports activities administration, nevertheless it was additionally adequate to assist me with a mathematical drawback earlier this week in Las Vegas.
We’re right here for the Las Vegas Summer season League of the NBA, and Bates – who performed two years on the Indiana earlier than ending his college profession in Missouri – performed nicely for the Denver Nuggets. I instructed him that for my overview of the summer season league, I wrote on “4 Indiana gamers being right here, or 5 when you counted Bates. ”
He smiles. “I want to suppose that you just depend me,” mentioned Bates. “I cherished enjoying Indiana, and Bloomington will at all times be shut and pricey to me as a result of that is the place the place my college profession has began.
“It actually fills me with the guts of gratitude that Indiana at all times see me like a hosier. I see it on a regular basis, followers commenting on social media or sending me DMs, telling me that they’re nonetheless trying. Folks inform me all this time.
Bates was considered one of Mike Woodson’s first recruits at Indiana in 2021, from Kansas Metropolis, Kan. Who performed his final 12 months of highschool ball on the IMG Academy in Florida. He performed the seasons 2021-22 and 2022-23 with the Hoosiers. He collected a median of three.9 factors per sport within the first 12 months and 6.1 within the second 12 months.
His profession in Iu ended on a bitter be aware, nonetheless, when he went mixed 0 for 13 from the sector within the two video games of the Hoosiers NCAA match. It was 0 for 7 within the defeat towards Miami within the second spherical which ended the season.
Throughout the offseason, Bates was transferred to Missouri to be nearer to his daughter, who was born earlier this 12 months and spent loads of time with him in Bloomington. She even received a child race on the bottom within the meeting, to the delight of followers. Bates had Leilani on his lap throughout the post-match press convention.
However occasional visits to Bloomington weren’t enough and he wished to be nearer to her. The brief journey by automotive from Columbia to Kansas Metropolis was a lot simpler. He has additionally performed nicely in his final two seasons there, with a median of 13 factors per match by the 2 seasons.
He’s pleased with his keep in Missouri and had many nice reminiscences there. However the identical goes for his time at Indiana.
“I additionally spent loads of time with Leilani there, so I’m extraordinarily grateful to Hoosier Nation. They’ve at all times proven me loads of love, ” mentioned Bates.” And I stay used. I additionally checked out. I’m excited for this 12 months and I see what they’ll do. I appreciated love, and it’ll by no means change. ”
The slim left of 6 ft 5 inches was not chosen within the restoration of the NBA 2025, however he rapidly signed a bidirectional contract with the Denver Nuggets shortly after the draft. He labored with them in Denver and performed with them the entire summer season league of this week.
It’s a good adjustment for him.
“Clearly, Nuggets are a championship franchise and, 100%, I’m blissful to be with them,” mentioned Bates. “”
“Being again in Denver for the coaching camp earlier than going out right here and now you see every thing. Gamers’ improvement, camaraderie contained in the crew is extraordinarily apparent when you find yourself inside these partitions each day. Growing their gamers and successful championships is what issues most for them, and that’s actually aligned with me too.”
The Nuggets, led by essentially the most helpful triple participant within the Nikola Jokic, are competing every year titles. They received one in 2023. They just like the Jokic surrounding with shooters, and Bates supplied it. He was a 50/40/90 participant a 12 months in the past at Missouri – and an All -Educational choice additionally.
“I believe that the NBA, as a result of there are such a lot of superb franchise gamers who’re the cornerstone of their organizations, it is easy for me – to make pictures and defend ”, mentioned Bates on its function with Denver.” I’ve at all times completed it all through my profession, and clearly, I insolve different issues alongside the best way, however I attempt to simplify the sport too, and to not attempt to maintain the ball.
“I really feel good (stick with the nuggets of the common season 2025-26). I will probably be round so many good veterans and plenty of adorned gamers. I’m delighted to make my half. ”
Bates collected a median of 12.5 factors per match within the first 4 video games of the Nuggets in Las Vegas, and likewise succeeded in 12 rebounds, 5 assists and eight interceptions. He additionally impressed nugget coaches.
“Tamar was nice. We talked so much about Tamar’s power, and he actually units us emotionally ” mentioned Nugget’s summer season league coach Andrew Munson.” He’s actually gifted with the ball. It at all times adapts to rhythm and to every thing, and to physics. However he’s a extremely gifted marker and when needs to go to a spot, he can get there and he can shoot anybody. ”
Friday night, Bates could have performed his greatest sport of the summer season, marking 11 factors in simply 9 minutes in 4 out of 5. However he had a head-to-head collision with a Lakers participant who did blood, and he didn’t come again.
Hope to outdated #Mizzou Goalkeeper Tamar Bates goes nicely after this scary collision throughout his summer season league remaining final night time for Denver.
Bates collected a median of 13.6 factors in 5 summer season championship video games. pic.twitter.com/gkbohjonch– Ben Arnet (@benarnetkomu) July 19, 2025
Bates was happy along with his week in Las Vegas.
“I believe this week was fairly good, and I tailored relatively nicely to the summer season league,” mentioned Bates. “Clearly, the Gague G and the NBA are additionally two completely totally different basketball manufacturers, however the NBA is the NBA, so I believe I performed fairly nicely.
“I had just a few reversals an excessive amount of, however apart from that, I really feel like I had successful video games and I proceed to indicate what I’ve at all times completed all through my profession. ”
Bates’ daughter was additionally in Las Vegas this week, along with her dad and mom and sisters.
“Leilani, she is unbelievable. She is right here (in Las Vegas) on a regular basis, so she seems up there,” mentioned Bates. “She is three years outdated now. It was unbelievable to share my complete college journey along with her and clearly now, being within the NBA and watching within the crowd and seeing her there’s merely unbelievable. I am glad my household is there, my dad and mom and my sister and my daughter.
“Whereas I make this transition to Denver, we are going to perceive. It is only a flight (in direction of Kansas Metropolis) and driving, it is about seven hours. The NBA season, it should most likely be a little bit totally different with all of the journeys, however we’re all close by in Kansas Metropolis and we are going to work the perfect we will.