Manny Bates enters transfer portal, becomes 4th NC State player to leave Wolfpack

N.C. State is losing yet another basketball player to the transfer portal, and this one hurts.

Defensive stalwart Manny Bates, who played in just one game this past season before suffering a season-ending injury, confirmed via social media Tuesday that he is leaving. Bates is the fourth player to enter the portal since the Wolfpack’s season ended, leaving a huge void in the N.C. State roster.

The star forward is set to graduate this spring.

“I would like to start by saying thank you to Coach Keatts and the coaching staff for investing and believing in my abilities these past four years,” Bates posted on his Twitter page. “I would also like to thank Wolfpack Nation for the unbelievable amount of love that has been shown through the ups and downs of my journey here.”

Bates added it was a tough decision, but ultimately decided to enter the portal after talking with his family.

“I feel like this is the next step in my journey,” Bates wrote. “I ask that you please respect my decision. I wish Coach Keatts and his program nothing but the best.”

Last spring, the Fayetteville native flirted with transferring, but ultimately decided to return to Raleigh. He played less than one minute in the opener before injuring his shoulder. The injury required surgery and Bates was sidelined for the entire year.

N.C. State finished its 2021-22 season 11-21 overall and 4-16 in ACC play.

In two prior seasons, Bates started 50 games for the Wolfpack, emerging as one of the top shot blockers in school history. Sidelined by a shoulder injury during his first season in Raleigh, Bates blocked 147 shots — fourth all-time in school history — during his redshirt freshman and sophomore seasons.

Before the start of the 2021-22 season, head coach Kevin Keatts said Bates had improved his offensive game. Wolfpack fans never got to see it. Bates missed the exhibition against Elizabeth City State and was injured chasing a loose ball against Bucknell in the season opener.

Without a post presence on both ends of the floor, N.C. State struggled.

In his place, sophomore forward Ebenezer Dowuona started 27 games in a year where he was expected to have more of a backup role. Forward Jaylon Gibson also saw extended minutes.

Gibson entered the transfer portal shortly after the season ended earlier this month at the ACC tournament. Sophomore guard Cam Hayes and graduate guard Thomas Allen also entered the portal in the following weeks.

That leaves Dowuona and freshman Ernest Ross as experienced post players on the current roster. Ross only played in 14 games. He suffered a foot injury in January and had surgery.

Greg Gantt, a 6-8 forward who transferred to N.C. State last spring from Providence, missed the entire season with an injury.

Shawn Phillips, a 6-10, 250-pound, four-star center from Glendale, Ariz., signed his letter of intent and should be called on to help the Wolfpack immediately next season.

In addition to having four players entered the transfer portal, one of N.C. State’s top prospects in years, North Carolina native Robert Dillingham, decommitted from the Pack earlier this month.

Here’s a breakdown of the N.C. State roster.

*Walk on

This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 12:39 PM with the headline "Manny Bates enters transfer portal, becomes 4th NC State player to leave Wolfpack."

Jonas E. Pope IV

The News & Observer

919-829-8911

Sports reporter Jonas Pope IV has covered college recruiting, high school sports, NC Central, NC State and the ACC for The Herald-Sun and The News & Observer.