Earlier this month former basketball coach and Indiana Hoosier legend Dan Dakich called out former Indiana basketball player Tamar Bates claiming the program had “no chance to win with him.”
#iubb media clamoring for Tamar Bates at Missouri… told you about Bates from the moment he entered the IU weight room with his family … no chance to win with him!!
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) February 6, 2024
His @MizzouHoops team HAS NOT WON A GAME IN THE SEC..
- for 20 yrs I’ve told you about @IndianaMBB and I’ve never…
Missouri men's basketball head coach Dennis Gates responded to Dan Dakich's comments about Tigers player Tamar Bates after their upset over No. 4 Alabama on Wednesday night.
Dennis Gates defended Tamar Bates regarding the tweet below.
— Ben Arnet (@BenArnetKOMU) February 20, 2025
"I don't approve of anyone directly attacking a great leader, a great young man... He (Dakich) may be confusing somebody for somebody else. Sometimes that happens."
FULL QUOTE⤵️ https://t.co/zw2LEFKyhw pic.twitter.com/9Gm0GFHJzr
"I don't approve of anyone directly attacking a great leader, a great young man, a dude who has never gotten in trouble, a guy that has done everything I have asked,"Gates said. "I don’t know who he's talking about."
"STAND IN THE CORNER AND BE MAD"@dandakich isn’t hiding from his take on Missouri basketball player, Tamar Bates
— OutKick (@Outkick) February 21, 2025
WATCH ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cv0VA9I3ro
Since all this went down, the Outkick college basketball analyst Dan Dakich has double down on his comments on the former Indiana Hoosier guard Tamar Bates.
OH MY GOODNESS, TAMAR BATES‼️🤯@MizzouHoops | #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/U7FWbrWMEj
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 22, 2025
Bates began his collegiate career at Indiana and played two seasons there before transferring to Missouri in 2023.
A former five-star recruit from IMG Academy in Bradenton (Florida) Tamar Bates was a part of the first Indiana Hoosier recruiting class under head coach Mike Woodson in the 2021-22 season.
The Saint Louis, Missouri native Tamar Bates struggled at Indiana over his two years in Bloomington averaging 3.9 points in 14.5 minutes per game in his freshman season. He showed flashes of greatness and development as a sophomore but was inconsistent throughout his second and final season in Bloomington. Bates averaged 6.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 20.4 minutes per game, while shooting 37.4 percent from 3-point range and 92.6 percent at the free throw line before transferring to Missouri.
Bates over the last two seasons as a Missouri Tiger has been one of the key pieces in their programs turnaround. As a junior he averaged 13.5 points on 49.5 percent shooting from the field, 38.5 percent from 3-point range and 92.6 percent at the free throw line. This year as a senior he's averaging 13.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 25.7 minutes per game on 50.4 % shooting from the field.
Bates is likely to play in his second NCAA Tournament in his three college seasons with Missouri being ranked No. 16 in the nation. While Indiana is struggling this season with a 15-11 record placing them 12th overall in the Big Ten Conference.