Mizzou Guard Tamar Bates Signs with Nuggets After Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Although he didn’t hear his name called during the 2025 NBA Draft, former Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates still found a professional home shortly after the Draft concluded.
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Bates has signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.
Bates initially transferred to Missouri ahead of the 2023-2024 season, and he appeared in 67 games over the course of two seasons. The Kansas City native averaged 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while maintaining 49.9 / 39.3 / 93.2 shooting splits.
After finding his footing as a Tiger, Bates became one of the nation’s most efficient scorers. During the 2024-25 season, Bates averaged 13.3 points per game on 50.8 / 39.7 / 94.6 shooting splits. He is the only SEC player since 2008 to reach those splits.
Missouri Tigers guard Tamar Bates (2) drives against Drake Bulldogs guard Tavion Banks (6) in the second half of a first round mens NCAA Tournament game at Intrust Bank Arena.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Although his volume was sometimes inconsistent, as he scored single digit points in five different conference games, Bates won’t be tasked as a primary scorer in the NBA like he was at Mizzou, so his shot attempt rate should fall to a steadier role.
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Whether it’s catch-and-shoot threes or his signature post fadeaway, Bates is an all-around scorer. His ability to score from all three levels makes him a perfect connective swingman.
The clear next step for Bates will be shoring up on his decision-making abilities as he averaged 1.3 turnovers and just 1 assist per game at Mizzou. In the modern NBA, wings are often asked to put the ball on the floor and make correct reads, so being a pure score won’t be enough.
However, under the guidance of David Adelman and the Nuggets coaching staff, Bates will hopefully develop into a strong addition to any roster.
Related: Highly Touted Mizzou Basketball Target Reveals Thoughts on Program
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.