This KCK junior’s profile is growing. KSU, Wichita, MU offered; KU, UNC are interested

Tyrone Bates knew early on that his son had a future in basketball.

He was just bigger than most everyone else. He could play all five spots on the floor. He was one of the most intelligent players on the hardwood.

Even at the tender age of 4, Tyron said, Tamar Bates was usually the most dominant player on the court.

“He led, got people involved, always played hard and passionate,” he said. “And so I knew early on that he was going to do well with his game if he continued at that level.”

A little more than a decade later, Bates’ prediction has come true — perhaps even more so than either could’ve imagined. Now a junior at Piper High School in Kansas City, Kansas, Tamar Bates is a rising star to watch in the KC Metro, leading the Pirates to their first state hoops championship in Kansas Class 4A last year and a 9-0 start this season.

A four-star guard with the ability to both slash inside and shoot from distance, Tamar has in turn seen a recent rise in recruiting interest from some prominent college programs both in and out of the area.

Kansas State, Missouri and Wichita State are among those who’ve offered him a spot on their roster following his graduation in 2021. Powerhouses Kansas and North Carolina have shown interest, too. The guard who also plays for KC Run GMC has made visits to numerous other schools, including Oklahoma State and Creighton, as well.

“Knowing that I have all this attention — there are eyes on me all the time because of how I’ve been raised — I just know how to act,” he said. “It’s nothing new to me. ... I’m really just living like I’m still a kid, just living my life the same way.”

His confidence shouldn’t be mistaken for cockiness. Both Tyrone and Tamar, along with his mother, Lajasmia, have put in plenty of “behind the scenes” work to get him where he is today.

“Staying focused, setting goals, making sure we don’t get too far in front of what’s right in front of us,” Tyrone said. “It’s easy to think four or five years down the road or allow some accomplishments to allow you to get comfortable and complacent.”

Right now, Tamar’s goals include winning a second straight state title with Piper, becoming a Gatorade Player of the Year finalist and garnering attention from USA Basketball.

Tyrone knows about the rigors of higher-level sports. He ran cross country for Northwest Missouri State in Maryville following his own high school graduation in 1996. And Tamar’s brother, Trey, is a freshman basketball player at Neosho County Community College.

Then again, neither brother nor dad experienced the sort of attention Tamar is commanding.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to go through that process, balancing both athletics and academics. It’s been good to have had that experience,” Tyrone said. “The level at which he’s engaging with the collegiate experience is far beyond what I experienced, but it was helpful to at least have some background knowledge around just how to maintain yourself through this process.”

Tamar keeps his cards close to his chest when it comes to the schools in which he’s most interested. He said he hopes to determine to a top-five before committing ahead of his senior year season.

While there’s currently no official offer from Kansas, Tamar recently attended the Jayhawks’ 95-68 victory in Lawrence. He also went to Late Night in the Phog.

“There is obviously a lot of history in Allen Fieldhouse, and it was a great experience considering how they sell out every home game,” he said. “It was great to see that as opposed to watching it on TV. ... It was good to get back in there and get a feel for what they have to offer.”

Tamar said KU coach Bill Self told him his skill-set is not unlike current Jayhawks standout Marcus Garrett. Like Garrett, Tamar takes great pride in his defense. He said he’s had similar conversations with K-State coach Bruce Weber and Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall.

“They see me as a combo guard,” Tamar said. “Somebody who can come in and play the one and two for them and just be all over the floor doing everything: playing defense, stopping the best players from scoring the ball when needed. Just being an all-around player.”

Lofty stuff for Tamar, who for now will continue to focus on more immediate goals at Piper High.

“This year I feel like we’re a lot more focused,” Tamar said. “(W)e really just feel like we have more to prove to everybody.”

This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 2:48 PM.