▁M emph is ▁State ▁University ▁following ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁year . ▁ ▁After ▁sitting ▁out ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 – 5 9 ▁season ▁per ▁NCAA ▁transfer ▁rules , ▁Y ates ▁played ▁his ▁junior ▁and ▁senior ▁seasons ▁in ▁M emph is . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁junior ▁year ▁where ▁he ▁aver aged ▁ 5 . 3 ▁points ▁and ▁ 4 . 0 ▁reb ounds ▁per ▁game , ▁Y ates ▁broke ▁out ▁as ▁a ▁senior . ▁ ▁He ▁tal lied ▁ 1 7 . 5 ▁points ▁and ▁ 1 4 . 4 ▁reb ounds ▁and ▁leading ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁to ▁a ▁ber th ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁National ▁Inv itation ▁Tournament . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁Y ates ▁earned ▁All - America ▁hon ors ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁and ▁Con verse . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁After ▁finishing ▁his ▁college ▁career ▁at ▁M emph is ▁State , ▁Y ates ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁L akers ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁NBA ▁D raft ▁with ▁the ▁fifth ▁pick ▁overall . ▁ ▁Y ates ▁played ▁one ▁season ▁for ▁the ▁L akers , ▁backing ▁up ▁All - Star ▁Rud y ▁La R us so ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 – 6 2 ▁NBA ▁season . ▁ ▁He ▁aver aged ▁ 1 . 9 ▁points ▁and ▁ 2 . 5 ▁reb ounds ▁in ▁ 3 7 ▁games ▁in ▁a ▁season ▁short ened ▁by ▁injury . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁off season , ▁he ▁was