Brandon Bates

Brandon Matthew Bates is a Filipino-Australian basketball player for the Meralco Bolts of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Brandon Bates
No. 33 – Meralco Bolts
PositionCenter
LeaguePBA
Personal information
NationalityFilipino / Australian
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight231 lb (105 kg)
Career information
College
PBA draft2023: 1st round, 8th overall pick
Selected by the Meralco Bolts
Playing career2022–present
Career history
2022–2023Sutherland Sharks
2023–presentMeralco Bolts
Career highlights and awards

Collegiate career

Bates played for De La Salle Green Archers men's basketball team starting in 2018. In his time with La Salle, he was tagged as a "useless center". In the first round of his first season (2019), he only averaged 1.8 points on 36% shooting, on top of 7.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 17 minutes of play. He later proved to be a reliable interior defender and rebounder. He scored 10 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks on an elimination game against UST De La Salle won the game 80–79.[1][2][3] Before leaving La Salle, he averaged 8.43 rebounds.[4]

Professional career

Australia

Bates left La Salle to join the Sutherland Sharks of NBL1 in Australia. [4][5]

Meralco Bolts

Bates got selected by Meralco Bolts in the 2023 PBA draft as 8th overall, but he did not sign a contract earlier because he wanted to go home to Australia.[6]

Sharing play time in centre position with Raymond Almazan, he was seen as an energizer[7] with a shot-blocking ability. He had 6 blocks and 13 rebounds in the Game 7 semifinal match vs. Ginebra in 2024 PBA Philippine Cup.[8][9][10][11] He helped his team to win the first championship against San Miguel Beermen. His most notable game was playing with flu in Game 5 while guarding June Mar Fajardo,[12]. Another notable moment was a dunk in Game 6.[13]

PBA career statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

As of the end of 2023–24 season[14]

Season-by-season averages
Year Team GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2023–24 Meralco 3016.8.625—.2755.1.4.31.33.5
Career 3016.8.625—.2755.1.4.31.33.5

Personal life

Bates worked as a barista while studying in La Salle. [7]

References
  1. "Brandon Bates proves he's not 'the useless one' at La Salle". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  2. "How La Salle's Bates is turning negatives into positives". ESPN.com. October 24, 2019. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  3. Li, Matthew (October 27, 2018). "Brandon Bates shows why he is part of the Green Archers". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  4. Co, Chris. "Bates out na sa La Salle". Philstar.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  5. Abad, Ysa (August 5, 2020). "DLSU's Bates gaining confidence in Aussie semi-pro league". RAPPLER. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  6. "COLUMN: Why No. 8 pick Brandon Bates has yet to join Meralco Bolts". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  7. "Meralco's Brandon Bates goes from serving coffee to swatting shots". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  8. "Rookie pero palaban! Brandon Bates sasabayan mga higante ng Beermen". June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  9. "Meralco boots out Ginebra in Game 7, makes PBA Finals vs SMB". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  10. "Brandon Bates glad to prove worth for Meralco". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  11. TDT (June 2, 2024). "Bates rises to occasion". Daily Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  12. "Brandon Bates fights through flu to help Meralco win Game 5". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  13. Cadayona, Russell. "Unang PBA crown para sa Meralco". Philstar.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  14. "Brandon Bates Player Profile, Meralco Bolts - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com.
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