Tamar Bates
 Bates in 2024 | |
| No. 0 – Utah Jazz | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 21, 2003 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | |
| NBA draft | 2025: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2025–present |
| Career history | |
| 2025–2026 | Grand Rapids Gold |
| 2026–present | Utah Jazz |
| 2026–present | →Salt Lake City Stars |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Tamar Marseis Bates (born February 21, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and the Missouri Tigers.
High school career
[edit]Bates attended his first three seasons at Piper High School, where he won a state championship as a sophomore, before transferring to IMG Academy for his senior year.[1] A consensus four-star recruit, he initially committed to playing college basketball for Texas before flipping his commitment to play for Indiana.[2]
College career
[edit]Indiana
[edit]During his freshman season in 2021–22, he played in 32 games, averaging 3.9 points and 1.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game.[3] In the 2022–23 season, Bates played in all 35 games while making two starts, averaging 6.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, while shooting 37.4% from three and 92.6% on free throws.[4] After the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, he decided to enter his name into the NCAA transfer portal.[5]
Missouri
[edit]Bates transferred to play for Missouri.[4] During his first season with the Tigers in 2023–24, he averaged 13.5 points, three rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 49.5% from the field, 38.5% from the 3-point line and 92.6% from the free throw line.[6] On December 8, 2024, Bates notched 29 points in an upset win over rival Kansas.[7] On January 18, 2025, he notched 1,000 career points, after scoring 15 in a victory against Arkansas.[8] On January 25, 2025, he put up 26 points in a victory over Ole Miss.[9] On February 19, 2025, Bates tallied 13 points and four steals in an upset win over #4 Alabama.[10] In the second round of the 2025 SEC men's basketball tournament, he recorded 25 points in a victory versus Mississippi State.[11] Bates finished the 2024–25 season, averaging 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and one assist per game, as a team captain.[12] After the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, he entered his name into the 2025 NBA draft, while also participating in the NBA scouting combine, and multiple camps.[13] Bates also participated in the 2025 NABC DI All-Star Game, where he scored 11 points en route to a victory.[14]
Professional career
[edit]Grand Rapids Gold (2025–2026)
[edit]On June 26, 2025, after going undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, Bates signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, splitting time with the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League.[15] On December 22, it was announced that Bates would miss at least 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his left foot.[16] On March 4, 2026, Bates was waived by the Nuggets following the signing of David Roddy.[17] He never appeared in a game for the Nuggets and only played in one game for Grand Rapids.[18]
Utah Jazz / Salt Lake City Stars (2026–present)
[edit]On July 3, 2026, Bates signed a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, splitting time with their NBA G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.[19]
Career statistics
[edit]| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led NCAA Division I |
College
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Indiana | 32 | 0 | 14.5 | .338 | .298 | .833 | 1.3 | .6 | .3 | .1 | 3.9 |
| 2022–23 | Indiana | 35 | 2 | 20.4 | .392 | .374 | .926 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .5 | .1 | 6.1 |
| 2023–24 | Missouri | 32 | 25 | 27.3 | .495 | .385 | .926 | 3.0 | 1.3 | .8 | .2 | 13.5 |
| 2024–25 | Missouri | 34 | 34 | 26.0 | .508 | .397 | .946* | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | .1 | 13.3 |
| Career | 133 | 61 | 22.1 | .456 | .373 | .924 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .7 | .1 | 9.2 | |
References
[edit]- ↑ Dopirak, Dustin. "New dad Tamar Bates approaching season at IU with new purpose after down freshman year". The Herald-Times. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Osterman, Zach. "IU nabs former Texas commit Tamar Bates for 2021". Reporter-Times. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Hall, Erik. "Tamar Bates: 5 things to know about the Missouri basketball guard, Indiana transfer". Alton Telegraph. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- 1 2 Chasen, Scott. "Mizzou lands transfer commitment from Indiana's Tamar Bates, originally from Piper". Kansas City Star. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Weber, Alex. "Indiana transfer Tamar Bates hears from notable schools after entering portal". On3. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ King, Drew. "2024-25 Mizzou Basketball Recap: Tamar Bates". 247Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ McAndrew, Calum. "Tamar Bates wrote himself into Border War legend. Here's how the Missouri basketball star did it". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Gemes, Chase. "Mizzou's Tamar Bates and Caleb Grill Reach Career Milestones". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ McAndrew, Calum. "'Special performances': How Missouri basketball's Tamar Bates, Caleb Grill sunk Ole Miss". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Salsman, Grant. "Mizzou, Bates continue to silence doubters with statement win over Alabama". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ McAndrew, Calum. "Missouri basketball will go where Tamar Bates takes it. Against Mississippi State, he delivered". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Van Zummeran, Joey. "Mizzou's Tamar Bates Earns Invite to NBA Draft Combine". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ↑ McAndrew, Calum. "How Missouri basketball grad Tamar Bates played in first NBA Draft Combine scrimmage". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
- ↑ Theobald, Andy. "Tamar Bates, Caleb Grill win NABC DI All-Star Game at Final Four in San Antonio". Kansas City Star. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
- ↑ Struck, Logan. "Breaking: Denver Nuggets Sign Three-Point Specialist After 2025 NBA Draft". Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ↑ "Nuggets' Tamar Bates out 12 weeks after surgery for fractured foot". denverpost.com. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "Nuggets Sign David Roddy To Two-Way Contract". nba.com. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ "Tamar Bates". The NBA G League. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Utah Jazz Sign Tamar Bates to Two-Way Contract | Utah Jazz". utahjazz.com. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from NBA.com · Basketball Reference
- Missouri Tigers bio
- Indiana Hoosiers bio