Indiana basketball: Sophomore guard Tamar Bates inspired by newborn daughter

Indiana basketball sophomore guard, Tamar Bates, had media availability via Zoom in Assembly Hall on July 28 and opens up about becoming a father in March, finding new inspiration, and rebounding after an up-and-down freshman season.

Many congratulations are in order for Bates as he became a father on March 20th, days after the Hoosiers lost by 29 points to Saint Mary’s in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, to his daughter Leilani Nicole Bates in Kansas City, KS. The new father says how his mindset has changed since becoming a father and what his motivation is now focused around.

"“It puts me in a whole different state of mind. As soon as I saw her (Leilani), it was a flip switch, because now I’m doing all the work that I’m putting in and it’s not just for me anymore. I’m trying to provide for her and my family”—“Her being born was a thing that I didn’t know that I needed, gives me a different kind of focus, different kind of drive, different kind of motivation, and it came at the perfect time after my freshman year.”"

Bates, coming into Bloomington, was a five-star prospect coming from IMG Academy that was ranked 30th overall nationally in the 2021 recruiting class. While many things may have deterred his focus during his turbulent freshman season, the raw talent and upside he brings to the table is something that cannot go unnoticed. He averaged 3.9 points on 33.8% from the field in his freshman season, but showed flashes with two career-high scoring nights of 13 points against Nebraska on January 17 and facing off against then-ranked #17 Michigan State on February 12.

The one down-side that was pretty clear when Bates was going against the tough Big Ten was his strength and size alone couldn’t match up. He has incredible length and a great body, but the muscle and weight needed to thrive in the Big Ten and potentially beyond is something that needed to be addressed. And it seems like it did. Bates mentions how he was able to get in the weight room this summer and bring his weight to his desired goal of 200 pounds. He says how his “overall strength and the weight” he put on was his biggest improvement this summer.

Making sure his body and mind are right as he comes into his sophomore campaign is all great and partly what Indiana basketball fans want to hear. But it’s not just that. Hoosier Nation also cares about how Tamar Bates can make winning plays and make an impact on offense and defense on a nightly basis. Bates has the answer.

"“Being able to guard at a high level, making open shots, and being a constant leader, talker, and motivator for our team.”"

Defensively, if he can take pressure off of Xavier Johnson being the only primary ball defender and fill the void left by Rob Phinisee as the best on-ball defender, that is a huge win for Mike Woodson and the Hoosiers. Consistency from mid-range and behind the arc is a whole other topic. Indiana basketball teams have not shot better than 34.0% from the three-point line since 2016-17 (38.0%) and have averaged less than 7.0 three-pointers made per game in every season since then, 5.9 3PM last season. Bates made two or more three-pointers in just four of his 32 games he appeared in freshman year, which as an off-the-bench scorer and shooter, that’s not enough. If Bates can average 1.5 3PM this season and shoot better than 38.0% from the field overall, Indiana basketball is heading in the right direction.