Can the Spartans win some recruiting battles for the 2025 class?
Basketball season is quickly approaching and with it, recruiting for the 2025 class is beginning to heat up. The Spartans are still awaiting their first commitment and have missed out on some priority prospects already. Most recently Darius Adams chose Connecticut over MSU and Tennessee. This leaves the Spartans without a top shooting guard prospect for the ‘25 class but Tom Izzo is still in the hunt for several highly rated players at other positions. Let’s take a look at where things stand with 2025 recruiting.
MISSES
Committed to other schools:
- Darius Adams: SG, 6-5, 165. La Lumiere School, La Porte, IN. 5 star, #19 overall, #4 SG. Committed to UConn.
- Jalen Haralson: SF, 6-7, 210. La Lumiere School, La Porte, IN. 5 star, #13 overall, #2 SF. Committed to Notre Dame. Haralson was probably MSU’s top target for 2025.
- Trent Sisley: PF, 6-7, 205. Monteverde (FL) Academy. 4 star, #70 overall, #14 PF. Committed to Indiana.
No longer considering MSU:
- Trey McKenney: CG, 6-5, 225. Orchard Lake (MI) St. Mary’s. 5 star, #20 overall, #3 CG. Announced final 3 of Georgetown, USC, and Michigan. McKenney was one of MSU’s top targets for 2025.
- Davion Hannah: SG, 6-5, 175. Link Academy, Branson, MO. 4 star, #31 overall, #7 SG. Canceled his 9/27 visit to MSU. Visited Alabama, Missouri, and Ohio State. Will visit Cincinnati on 10/4.
STILL IN THE HUNT
CENTER
Francis Chukwudebelu
Argyle – Argyle, TX. 6-10, 220. 3 star, #189 overall, #20 center
OFFERS: MSU, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Kansas, Kansas State, Memphis, Nebraska, Ole Miss, TCU, Texas, Vanderbilt, Xavier
MSU offered Chukwudebelu on September 14, 2022 then visited him on September 28, 2022. He took an unofficial to MSU on October 15, 2022.
VISITS:
10/2 – Nebraska
COMMITMENT INFO: There seems to be some discrepancy in the recruiting sites regarding Chukwudebelu’s recruitment. Some indicate that there is strong interest from Kansas and MSU. Others indicate little interest from Kansas and instead strong interest from Nebraska. Other than the reported offers, MSU’s reported 2022 activity, and the reported upcoming visit to Nebraska, I couldn’t find much else regarding Chukwudebelu’s recruitment.
COMBO GUARD
Jerry Easter
Link Academy – Branson, MO. 6-3, 183. 4 star, 32 nationally, #4 CG
OFFERS: MSU, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, SMU, UCLA, USC, Washington, + several others
Easter’s first offer was from Bowling Green on June 11, 2019. His first power 4 offer was from ASU on November 11, 2020. MSU was one of the first schools to extend an offer to Easter, on October 30, 2021.
VISITS: 9/8 – Georgia Tech; 9/20 – SMU; 9/22 – MSU; 10/4 – Ohio State; 10/18 – USC
COMMITMENT INFO: I haven’t seen any “top 10” or “top 5” lists for Easter, nor any announcements regarding a commitment date.
SHOOTING GUARD: NONE
POWER FORWARD
Niko Bundalo
Prolific Prep – Napa, CA. 6-10, 215. 5 star, 26 nationally, #7 PF
OFFERS: MSU, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Rutgers, + several others
Xavier was the first school to offer Bundalo on April 30, 2023. MSU extended an offer on September 18, 2023. This was after several Big Ten programs including Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State, Penn State, and Nebraska.
VISITS: 8/30 – Connecticut; 9/6 – Michigan State; 9/21 – Ohio State; 10/4 – North Carolina
COMMITMENT INFO. TOP 8 as of August 5: UConn, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Texas, Xavier
Cam Ward
Largo – Upper Marlboro, MD. 6-7, 210. 4 star, 50 nationally, #14 PF
OFFERS: MSU, Alabama, Florida State, Iowa, Kansas State, Marquette, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, Virgina, + others
Ward received his first offer from Georgetown on June 13, 2022. Maryland was the first Big Ten program to offer Ward on April 23, 2023. MSU offered Ward on October 4, 2023.
VISITS: 9/16/23 – Notre Dame; 10/13/23 – Florida State; 6/24 – Marquette; 9/13 – Kansas State; 9/21 – Maryland; 9/27 – MSU; 10/13 – Alabama
COMMITMENT INFO. I haven’t seen any “top 10” or “top 5” lists for Ward, nor any announcements regarding a commitment date.
SMALL FORWARD
Dwayne Aristode
Brewster Academy – Wolfsboro, NH; originally from the Netherlands. 6-8, 214. 5 star, 18 nationally, #4 SF
OFFERS: MSU, Alabama, Arizona, Cincinnati, Duke, Kansas, Miami, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest, Xavier
Aristode received his first offer on November 1, 2023 from UCLA. The Spartans offered Aristode on June 1, 2024; the same day he also received offers from Xavier, Kansas, Alabama, USC, Cincinnati, Miami, and Texas Tech. Duke extended an offer on August 23, 2024. The Blue Devils’ staff had visited Aristode on October 25, 2023
VISITS: 9/8/23 – Wake Forest; 1/6 – Arizona; 8/29 – MSU; 9/8 – Wake Forest; 9/18 – USC; 9/20 – Duke
COMMITMENT INFO. TOP 5 as of 9/25: MSU, Arizona, Duke, USC, NBL Next Stars
Jordan Scott
South Lakes – Reston, VA. 6-7, 185. 4 star, 91 nationally, #20 SF
OFFERS: MSU, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Washington, + several others
George Mason first offered Scott on October 10, 2022. His first power 4 offer was from Iowa on May 4, 2023. Scott received his offer from the Spartans on June 22, 2023 and took his first official visit to MSU a few months later.
VISITS: 9/8/23 – MSU; 11/10/23 – Florida State; 11/22/23 – Washington; 9/14 – Maryland; 9/28 – Virginia Tech; 10/4 – MSU
COMMITMENT INFO: believed to be considering MSU, Maryland, & Virginia Tech
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Chris Cenac, C
Link Academy – Branson. MO. 6-10, 230. 5 star, 10 nationally, #1 C
OFFERS: MSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Connecticut, Houston, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Tennessee, Texas, + several others
VISITS: 8/30 – Houston; 9/13 – Tennessee; 9/20 – Auburn; 9/27 – Kentucky; 10/18 – Arkansas; 11/9 – LSU
COMMITMENT INFO. 8/5: released top 12: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Connecticut, Houston, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Michigan State, Tennessee, and Texas
Unless Cenac cancels his Arkansas and/or LSU visits and schedules one with MSU, this seems like a long shot.
Aleks Alston, PF
Kenwood Academy – Chicago, IL. 6-9, 205. 3 star, 161 nationally, #33 PF
OFFERS: MSU, Arizona State, Cal, DePaul, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Tulsa
Alston received his first offer from Georgia Tech on June 29, 2022. MSU offered on October 29, 2023 and is one of Alston’s most recent offers.
VISITS: NONE – could not find any past or scheduled visits for Alston.
COMMITMENT INFO: could not find any “top 10” lists or announcement dates for Alston.