5 most irresponsible 2023 NBA Draft prospect comparisons

Irresponsible NBA Draft prospect comparisons: 2. Emoni Bates is not Carmelo Anthony

Another common problem with NBA Draft prospect comparisons is honing in on one or two attributed to the exclusion of several other far more dramatic and far more important differences. In this case, we have two players who have no fear of a contested jumpshot, who are comfortable isolating, facing up and shooting over the defense. But for a number of other reasons, this doesn’t matter at all.

For one thing, Carmelo Anthony was a BULLY, even as a freshman at Syracuse. He was quick and explosive but that was all incredibly effective because he was so strong and so powerful. Bates, meanwhile, is reed-thin and looks like a stiff breeze could knock him off his position on the low block. Anthony had a force to his low- and mid-post game that made him immediately effective as a scorer, something Bates can’t replicate.

And then there is the matter of success. Anthony averaged 22.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists and led his team to a national championship. Bates washed out at Memphis and transferred to Eastern Michigan where he put up hugely impressive numbers (32.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists) but for an 8-23 team that played the 189th-toughest schedule in the nation, per KenPom. These two things are not the same.