Billy Ray Bates

Who is Billy Ray Bates?

Billy Ray Bates 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.

On January 17, 1998, Bates robbed a New Jersey Texaco station at knife point, slashing the ear of attendant Philip Kittel. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, serving five.