NCSU basketball signee Manny Bates out for the season after surgery, his coach says

Manny Bates, the N.C. State basketball signee and Northwood Temple senior, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery on Thursday, his high school coach Corey Baker said.

Bates, who’s 6-9 and 195 pounds, injured the shoulder during preseason practice and has not played in a game this season for Northwood (1-8). Baker had hoped Bates would be able to make a return to the court, and the forward was doing physical therapy sessions to help heal the shoulder. After a recent MRI, however, doctors determined it was best to do surgery.

“His future is more important than this year,” Baker said. “He has a lot of basketball to play and there is no need to throw it away now.”

Bates, a four-star recruit according to 247Sports, is the No. 7 ranked player in North Carolina in the Class of 2018 and signed with the Wolfpack last month. Baker said the N.C. State coaching staff was aware of the surgery.

“They are very supportive,” Baker said. “They know it’s just one of those things that happens.”

Bates injured the shoulder trying to knock a ball out of teammate Ian Steere’s hand during practice.

“It was one of those freak accidents,” Baker said. “You know Ian is strong as an ox.”

Steere (6-9, 261 pounds) also signed with N.C. State last month. Steere missed four games this season after injuring his knee during the Hoops & Dreams Showcase in Fayetteville on Nov. 4. Baker was hoping he would have both his bigs on the court soon, but it appears the next time Bates and Steere play together it will be as members of the Wolfpack basketball team.

Baker said Bates will still travel with the team to Raleigh next week when the Eagles take on Neuse Christian Academy.

“He’s still part of the team,” Baker said. “Now I tell him he’s just part of the coaching staff.”

Baker doesn’t expect Bates to take the same path as Dennis Smith Jr.

In 2015, Smith, who is also from Fayetteville, injured his knee the summer before his senior season at Trinity Christian School. He graduated early and enrolled at N.C. State in December so that he could rehab with team doctors there. He played one season with the Wolfpack before entering the 2017 NBA draft, where he was picked in the first round pick by the Dallas Mavericks.

Baker, who trained Smith and coached his AAU team, said he expects Bates to be with Northwood into 2018.

This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 11:35 AM with the headline "NCSU basketball signee Manny Bates out for the season after surgery, his coach says."