Tamar Bates is a basketball player from Kansas City, Kansas and is committed to play for Indiana University. Bates is considered one of the top shooting guards of the 2021 class. He was Coach Mike Woodson’s first recruit.
- Name: Tamar Bates
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Recruiting Class: 2021
- Age: 21 years old
- Birthday: February 21, 2003
- High School: Piper High School (Kansas City, Kansas) / IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
- AAU Team: Indiana Elite
- Height: 6’4″ (193 cm)
- Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)
- Jersey Number: #53
Tamar Bates’ Recruiting Profile
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-Star Shooting Guard
- Teams: Piper High School (Kansas City, Kansas) / IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
- Composite Rating: 0.9902
- Composite Ranking: 28th Overall, 5th Shooting Guard, 4th in Florida
- Committed: April 19, 2021
Tamar Bates’ Seasons with the Hoosiers
0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Tamar Bates’ High School Career and Recruiting
Bates began his high school career at Piper High School in Kansas City before transferring to basketball powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. While at Piper, Bates averaged 22.1 points, 5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2 steals per game as a junior. He also shot 58% overall from the field and an impressive 44% from three.
According to the 247 Sports Composite rankings, Bates is considered the 44th best overall prospect in the nation in the 2021 class. He is also ranked the 9th best prospect in Florida and the 9th best shooting guard in the nation in his class.
Bates reportedly had 18 scholarship offers, including Kansas, Oregon, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Creighton, Missouri, Colorado, Texas, and Wichita State. Bates initially committed to Texas but asked for a release when then-Longhorn coach Shaka Smart parted ways with the university. Upon Smart’s departure, Bates emphasized that he had committed to Coach Smart, not Texas, but was willing to speak with the new coaching staff. Eventually, Bates fully opened up his recruiting.
Notably, Bates openly expressed his desire to play for a Black head coach. Because of the current social climate and the fact that Black coaches were underrepresented at the collegiate level, Bates felt it was the right decision to play for and support a Black coach. With the hiring of Mike Woodson, Indiana quickly became a realistic possibility for Bates, particularly since three of Indiana’s top four basketball coaches are Black.
In April 2021, Bates officially committed to Indiana. He chose No. 53 for his jersey number.