Coach Penny Hardaway's squad at Memphis is set to sustain a significant loss ahead of the 2022-23 college basketball season. On Saturday, star forward Emoni Bates announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, just one year after joining the program as one of the nation's most coveted five-star recruits. Bates announced his decision to On3's Joe Tipton, where he thanked Hardaway and the rest of the Tigers program for the opportunity.

“I’d like to thank Coach Penny, my teammates, and the entire coaching staff at the University of Memphis for giving me the opportunity to be a Tiger. Thank you Tiger Nation for embracing me and all of you who supported our team throughout this season. With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal,” said Bates via On3.

In his freshman season at Memphis, Bates featured in just 18 games, missing much of the second half of the season to injury. When on the court, Bates averaged 9.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. He shot 38.6% from the field and knocked down 1.4 3's at a 32.9% clip.

Struggling to find his footing at Memphis amid the injuries, Bates is hoping for a fresh start with a new program in 2022-23. It was surely an emotional decision for Bates, who enrolled early at the program as a 17-year-old after being considered the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2022.

There will surely be a ton of teams intersted in bringing a big-named prospect such as Bates, and he'll likely have his pick of the litter when it comes to his next college destination. Hopefully, he can remain injury free at his next stop and showcase the talent that had him so highly heralded as a high schooler.