On March 18, less than six hours after Indiana lost to No. 5-seeded St. Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16, then-freshman guard Tamar Bates I was already on a flight back to Kansas City. His daughter, Leilani, was expected to be born at any moment.
Although the Hoosiers’ first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and the loss, was still fresh on his mind, Bates had another matter that required his immediate attention: he was about to become a father for the first time. He wondered how the family would support him more than 450 miles away. He wondered if he was ready to handle being a father while he was juggling his basketball aspirations.
But on March 20, less than 48 hours after Bates embarked on a multi-flight journey back to her hometown, Leilani was born. And when Bates first saw her, the clarity and answers she had been searching for finally came to him.
“As soon as I saw her, it was like she changed direction,” Bates said. “Because it’s like, now, everything that I’m doing, all the work that I’m doing, it’s not just for me because I’m trying to support her and my family. So getting up early in the morning, late at night, just doing everything I’ve been doing with much more focus because I have a new purpose.”
Bates’ potential on the court is evident. He was a former four-star prospect in the 2021 draft class according to 247Sports, and the 30th-ranked recruit in the nation. His arrival in Bloomington last offseason was met with considerable anticipation. And after an outstanding senior season at IMG Academy, the expectations of the IU fan base on Bates’ shoulders were great.
However, Bates struggled to live up to those expectations. Under then-first-year head coach Mike Woodson, Bates’ playing time was scant and his offensive production was small. Although he played in 32 of Indiana’s 35 games, Bates averaged just 3.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per game while shooting 33.8 percent from the field.
What many didn’t see behind the scenes during Bates’ freshman season, however, were the off-court struggles he endured. In mid-December, he was forced to miss IU’s game against Butler at the Crossroads Classic due to the death of a family member. Throughout the entire Big Ten schedule, he tried to stay focused as the birth of his first child loomed in the back of his mind.
For an 18-year-old, much less a freshman at one of the most closely watched college basketball programs in the country, it’s easy to get caught up in the pomp and circumstance that surround daily life. Bates was no different, and even if he tried, he couldn’t help it.
“I feel like I just came through that storm — obviously I came out a stronger basketball player, but I came out stronger mentally,” Bates said. “…So just analyze that and figure out, ‘Okay, this is where I’d get my shots and this is how things are going to go.’
“And I went through the Big Ten [season] and really get a sense of everything I was anticipating last year. So I feel like just having that experience, that year on my belt will help me with everything.”
And Bates knows he’ll need to take his game up a notch as a sophomore this fall if he wants to see more playing time and opportunities. In fact, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound shooting guard reckons his overall skill set needs to improve this offseason to unlock his clear potential.
“My most impactful things, I would say being able to protect at a high level, run at a high level, shoot wide open and just be a constant leader, talkative and motivating just for the team,” Bates said, listing his four biggest milestones. this off season. “… I feel like one of my greatest skills is having energy and always being ready to compete, just my competitive spirit.”
However, it is no longer just about Bates. Those arbitrary and singular basketball skills that he feels he needs to improve are no longer just for his own benefit. They can’t be, not with a new son in his life.
“My new purpose is to provide and put food on the table for her,” Bates said. “And I would say the most important thing is to make sure that her education, how she was raised, is a thousand times better than how I was raised. And that’s not a blow to my parents, they did a fantastic job, but I want to get over it.” them, I want to do better than them. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
Bates is not going to be a father blindly. He said his family is completely supportive of him and her daughter, taking care of her in Kansas City while he has been in Bloomington for summer training. From his parents to his brothers to his uncles and everyone in between, Bates said he is at peace knowing his daughter is in good hands.
However, that time apart from Leilani will not be wasted. Instead, every decision Bates makes and every bead of sweat that hits the hardwood floor beneath him now has new meaning behind it.
That’s why, these days, when Bates wonders if he’s doing enough for his daughter, the feel of the leather basketball in the palm of his hand reminds him that it’s all part of the proverbial plan.
“I feel like a lot of the leadership qualities a father acquires at home obviously translates to the basketball court,” Bates said. “…I have two totally different mindsets when I’m with my daughter and when I play basketball, but I feel like focus and constant learning and growth are things that you can combine. Like the things that go into it and the things that you learn to over the years, that’s how you can relate the two.”
Bates is currently juggling multiple life-altering circumstances at once. His goals for this season with Indiana are obvious. His vulnerability over his goals in the NBA or professional basketball has never been more open.
But his longing to provide the best childhood and life possible for Leilani, that trumps everything.
“I just want to make sure he doesn’t have to worry about anything, just give him the world and whatever he can dream of,” Bates said. “But at the same time, it instills things in her that were instilled in me, which is that you have to work for everything you get.”
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