AJ Bates is Louisiana Tech’s do-everything guard and late-game engine
In the 2025-26 season, AJ Bates started all 34 games for Louisiana Tech, averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals, and led the Bulldogs with a massive 33.4 minutes per game[1][11]. He’s the kind of guard who bends a defense with pick-and-roll feel, can explode for big scoring nights—like 34 against Liberty—and still impact winning with toughness, playmaking and pressure defense[2][3][6]. He also delivered a 15-assist game, showing real floor-general juice, which makes him a strong fit if a team wants an intense, high-IQ, high-usage lead guard[3].
