Sissoko is the first member of the 2023-2024 men’s basketball squad to leave the program.
Michigan State Senior Mady Sissoko entered the transfer portal, making him the first member of the 2023-2024 men’s basketball team to leave the program. The big man has one year of eligibility left due to playing through the COVID year. Sissoko leaves behind a complex legacy as a Spartan.
Mady Sissoko came to Michigan State as a lightly recruited project. Despite having some obvious physical gifts for the game, he only started playing basketball late in High School. In his first two years, Sissoko came off the bench for very short stints often typified by high energy and lots of fouls. Throughout this period, Sissoko’s infectious positivity and clear enjoyment of the game endeared him to fans.
In his junior year, Sissoko entered the starting lineup and became a much more complex figure. After looking incredible to open his Junior year (that opening game against Gonzaga is worth revisiting), he quickly turned into a below average player. Still the occasionally strong performance during his Junior year had some people excited about his potential in his senior year.
This year is when many fans turned against him. From the start, Sissoko was projected to be one of four possible centers for the team. Sissoko was widely expected to start the season and most likely give way to another player in the starting lineup relatively quickly. Initially this seemed to happen as Carson Cooper took over starting a few weeks into the season. Cooper had some notable growth in his freshman year and appeared to have the physical gifts to take a big leap. Unfortunately, Cooper largely regressed and his poor play forced Sissoko back into the starting lineup.
Behind Cooper and Sissoko, Sophomore Jaxon Kohler was injured in the off season and missed the first half of the year. Even when he came back, he clearly took time to regain what appeared to be substantially improved form over last summer. Beyond Kohler, highly ranked recruit Xavier Booker was the fan favorite to take time at the five spot.
Booker proved to be physically unready to play at the collegiate level at the start of the year. By the end of the year, the freshman gained 20 pounds and looked much improved – but even his most ardent supporters recognized his final performance against UNC in the NCAA Tournament was a sign that Booker was simply not ready this year.
With the three other centers all struggling/injured, Sissoko took the bulk of the minutes throughout the year. This was much to the complaint of fans. Making matters worse, Sissoko played a stretch of some of his worst basketball late in the season. Coach Izzo clearly saw (to some fans too late) that Sissoko was not helping the team win. At one point he recorded less than five minutes of playing time in back to back games. A huge fall for a long time starter.
In a bit of a reversal, Sissoko came off the bench in the final stretch of the season and looked substantially better. Perhaps it was the role he was always destined to play. Limiting his expected minutes seemed to unleash the younger version of the Senior. His energy looked up and he looked less concerned about limiting his fouls. In a big test against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament , Sissoko was clearly the best option to defend Zach Edey. Even in the NCAA Tournament, Sissoko had glimpses of play that made him look like the best option at center for certain matchups.
As fans have looked ahead to the 2024-2025 season, many publicly declared their dread of the idea that Sissoko would use his fifth year of eligibility to come back to Michigan State. The logic was that the final stretch of improved play from Sissoko was not enough to counterbalance the fans’ lack of patience with his development. The idea was also floated by many that bringing Sissoko back would hurt the development of players like Xavier Booker and the potential to get a talented big man in the portal.
Those fears can now be put to rest. Sissoko entered the transfer portal and seems determined to secure his future somewhere else.
A popular suggested landing spot would be Western Michigan under previous Michigan State assistant coach Dwayne Stephens. Stephens helped mold Sissoko early in his career and is known to have a strong bond with his former player. Western Michigan might also be the perfect landing spot for his skill set. His large frame and experience at Michigan State could make him a valuable asset a mid-major program.
Sissoko is heading off to a new challenge. Hopefully fans can look back on his legacy and focus on the good times – the smile and enthusiasm he carried so often; the gritty play against Zach Edey and Drew Timmes; the great work he has done off the court using NIL type money to build schools .
Michigan State may be better for the loss of Sissoko on the court. His community giving will guarantee he is a positive impact wherever he goes.