Billy Ray Bates

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Billy Ray Bates

Personal information
Born	(1956-05-31) May 31, 1956 (age 68) Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	211 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school	McAdams (McAdams, Mississippi)
College	Kentucky State (1974–1978)
NBA draft	1978: 3rd round, 47th overall pick
Drafted by	Houston Rockets
Playing career	1978–1990
Position	Shooting guard
Number	12, 34, 35, 2
Coaching career	1979–1980
Career history
As a player:
1978–1980	Maine Lumberjacks
1980–1982	Portland Trail Blazers
1982	Washington Bullets
1983	Los Angeles Lakers
1983–1984	Ohio Mixers
1983	Crispa Redmanizers
1984–1986	Fribourg Olympic
1986	Crispa Redmanizers
1986–1987	Charleston Gunners
1986–1988	Ginebra San Miguel
1990	Pensacola Tornados
As a coach:
1979–1980	Maine Lumberjacks
Career highlights
3× PBA champion (1983 Reinforced Filipino, 1983 Open, 1986 Open) 2× PBA Best Import of the Conference (1983 Reinforced Filipino, 1983 Open) All-CBA First Team (1980) All-CBA Second Team (1979) CBA Rookie of the Year (1979)
Career NBA statistics
Points	2,197
Rebound	313
Assists/Steals	352/151
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

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.

In the PBA, Bates had a legendary career with Crispa and is considered one of the greatest foreign players in league's history.^[1]