Manny Bates is a pivotal piece to an NC State basketball bounce-back season in 2021-22
N.C. State fans shouldn’t be alarmed that one of the team’s best players, forward Manny Bates, had the night off during an exhibition game against Elizabeth City State.
Bates came out, went through warm-ups and showed no effects of a lingering injury that had him on a pitch count during preseason. During warm-ups, he dunked, perfected his jump hook, the entire offensive repertoire fans have seen from Bates the last two seasons.
Head coach Kevin Keatts didn’t need to see what Bates could do in an exhibition. If Keatts wants to get N.C. State back to the NCAA Tournament, he’ll need to see Bates at his best during ACC play.
“I know what Manny brings to our team,” Keatts said after the 87-68 win over the Vikings.
Bates (6-foot-11, 230 pounds) brings a defensive presence to the team that is one of a kind. Keatts called him the best defender in the nation on Monday. In two seasons, Bates has blocked 147 shots, the fourth all time in school history. But Bates wants to establish himself as more than a great defender. If this is N.C. State’s year to get back on track, they will need the big man to be a consistent offensive threat as well.
In his career, Bates has been a nice finisher around the basket. He’s a career 64.7% shooter from the floor. The current school record is 58.8%. Once Bates reaches 200 career field goals, that record will be his. He’s currently 35 field goals away.
Over his first two seasons, the majority of his field goals have been put-back dunks or being on the receiving end of passes from guards who broke down the defense. Keatts has had to run a lot of plays for Bates, with plenty of able perimeter scorers around him. This year, outside of senior Jericole Hellems, there are a lot of guys who have yet to prove they are a consistent threat from outside. At least not consistent enough to stop defenses from packing the paint to occupy Bates.
But if the Pack wants to return to the postseason, Bates can’t just be a put-back dunk guy. Keatts will have to potentially run his offense through the man who’s been a defensive stopper and not so much a go-to scorer.
Bates is up for the challenge.
“We really tried to focus on my offensive ability,” Bates told the media about his offseason approach. “I’ve gotten a lot more consistent from shooting from 15 feet, that mid-range area.”
Keatts, who has plenty of shooters, swears Bates has expanded his shooting all the way out to the 3-point line.
“He’s been able to make shots from outside,” Keatts said. “You will see him take some 3’s. The more he makes, the more opportunities I’ll give him. The more we miss, then we’re going to have to have a conversation.”
Manny, the leader
When Bates stepped on campus in 2018, his career took a detour before it started. He had to sit out the entire season when he re-aggravated a shoulder injury suffered his senior season of high school.
After a full offseason of rehabilitating, Bates has played in 53 games for the Pack, starting 49 of them. While his defensive ability was evident from day one, Bates has never averaged more than 9.8 points. His first two seasons, Keatts really didn’t need him to. This season, he has to in order to give N.C. State a chance on most nights. The good news is Bates has progressed each year.
“Obviously, he was more of a defensive player coming in the door,” Keatts said. “I think you guys saw some glimpses of how good he can be offensively, and he’s worked extremely hard in the offseason.”
Bates also prepared to be a leader this year. With D.J. Funderburk and Devon Daniels gone, the leadership responsibilities fall on the wide shoulders of Bates and Hellems.
This offseason, with seven new faces on the roster, it was important as ever for Bates to show how things are done, the standard at N.C. State. That was a new role for him, but part of the package that goes along with being the face of the program, which Bates now is, is whether he chooses to accept it. He’s no longer Manny Bates, defensive stopper, he’s Manny Bates, the main focal point on N.C. State’s roster.
“I like the direction he’s going in. He’s a leader,” Keatts said. “He will be one of the leaders on that team, and we’re expecting a big year from him.”
