BREAKING: Mizzou guard Tamar Bates signs with Denver Nuggets
The Kansas City, Kan. native went undrafted, but still found his way to an NBA contract.
Tamar Bates has signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, he announced at his draft watch party on Thursday.
The 6-foot-5 guard wasn't picked in the 2025 NBA Draft, but agreed to a deal with his new team minutes after the draft ended.
"Obviously, I wouldn't have ever been able to be here, been a part of this draft, without everybody in this room," Bates said. "The invites got sent to everybody here because you all were an instrumental part in me becoming the player that I am today, the man I am today. So I appreciate everybody being here."
Bates transferred to Mizzou in 2023 and took on a bigger role with the Tigers. He had a breakout junior season, putting up 13.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 steals per game shooting 49.5% from the field, 38.5% from deep and 92.6% at the stripe. He played a key role in his senior year as a team captain, averaging 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.3 steals while reaching career highs across the board shooting 50.8% from the field, 39.7% from 3 and 94.6% from the free throw line. Bates received All-SEC Third Team honors and guided the black and gold to a 22-12 record and a 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
"My time at Missouri has prepared me for where I'm at now based off of what Coach Gates says literally every day, that phrase just being 'Giving your very best,'" Bates said after working out with the Golden State Warriors on May 22. "That's how I've carried myself throughout my time at Missouri, and that's how I've carried myself throughout this process. And a lot of teams have taken notice of that and it's helped me a lot in this process, especially being able to do all of the things and play at all of the events that I have been able to throughout this pre-draft process. So I'm more than prepared for the pre-draft process and for the NBA, just because of where I played my last two years at."
A two-way contract permits Bates to split his time between the G League and the NBA, allowing him to play up to 50 games for Denver next season. Bates joins former Tigers Kobe Brown, D'Moi Hodge and Sean East in inking a deal with an NBA squad during head coach Dennis Gates' tenure. He'll also be joining fellow MU alum Michael Porter Jr. on the Nuggets. Denver is coming off a 50-32 record and an appearance in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs this season. PowerMizzou.com will work to speak with Bates on his reaction to joining the Nuggets and continue to provide updates throughout the offseason.