Billy Ray Bates
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
May 31, 1956 Kosciusko, Mississippi |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | McAdams (McAdams, Mississippi) |
| College | Kentucky State (1974–1978) |
| NBA draft | 1978 / Round: 3 / Pick: 47th overall |
| Selected by the Houston Rockets | |
| Position | Shooting guard |
| Number | 12, 34, 35 |
| Career history | |
| 1978–1980 | Maine Lumberjacks |
| 1980–1982 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1982 | Washington Bullets |
| 1983 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1983–1984 | Ohio Mixers |
| 1983–1986 | Crispa Redmanizers |
| 1986–1987 | Charleston Gunners |
| 1986–1988 | Barangay Ginebra Kings |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Billy Ray Bates (born May 31, 1956) is a retired American professional basketball player. Bates played shooting guard at McAdams High in Mississippi and attended Kentucky State University.
Bates played four seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Bullets and Los Angeles Lakers. He also played overseas, in Switzerland, Mexico, Uruguay, and most notably in the Philippines for the Crispa Redmanizers and Ginebra San Miguel of the Philippine Basketball Association.
On January 17, 1998, Bates robbed a New Jersey Texaco station at knife point, slashing the ear of attendant Philip Kittel. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.
Billy Ray Bates, the eighth of nine children, played basketball at McAdams High in Mississippi. He later played basketball for Kentucky State University.
The Houston Rockets drafted him in the 3rd round of the 1978 draft. Before the season started, he was cut by the Rockets, after his agent demanded guaranteed money for the third-rounder. He ended up playing for the Maine Lumberjacks in the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association, where he won the league's Rookie of the Year and the slam dunk competition in its All-Star game. Bates is credited for shattering at least four backboards in the Continental league before jumping to the NBA.
After signing a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in February 1980, the high-flying 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard quickly became a crowd favorite for his slam dunks and energetic playing style. He once scored 40 points in 32 minutes against San Diego and later 35 points in 25 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks. The league also took notice, naming him NBA Player of the Week towards the end of his rookie season. He especially excelled in the playoffs, averaging 25.0 ppg in the 1980 playoffs and 28.3 ppg in the 1981 playoffs (which today still stands as the franchise record )
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