Could MSU get their first new player soon?
We knew this was going to be an offseason full of intrigue and suspense, not to mention massive consequences, for Tom Izzo’s program. The Spartans are seeing their top two scorers from last season, Tyson Walker and Malike Hall, departing as they are out of eligibility. The starting PG, AJ Hoggard, has probably played his last game for MSU, though no official announcements have been made on that subject. It should be remembered that Hoggard tested the draft process a year ago before deciding to come back for his senior season. Having played four years of college hoops, the sentiment seems to be that he is ready to move on. And Mady Sissoko, last year’s starting center for most of the season, has entered the transfer portal to see where he will play for his Covid year (I am so excited for Covid 5th years to become a thing of the past after next year).
This leaves Jaden Akins as the only starter from the 2023-24 team who we can reasonably consider to be coming back, though there is even a remote possibility that he could end up in the portal. May 1 is the deadline for players to declare themselves for the portal.
MSU certainly has some players returning who will be forced into bigger roles and starting spots. Regardless, Tom Izzo has come out and said that he will look to be active in the transfer market this offseason as he looks to rebuild his team on the fly. There have been a number of players who have already been linked to MSU as potential grabs. And one of them has already announced his intention to reveal his selected new school this Monday.
Frankie Fidler, a forward from Nebraska-Omaha, will be on the MSU campus this weekend for a visit, the last of four visits he is making. It is perhaps a good sign that he has selected East Lansing to be his last stop. The other schools he is considering, which he has already visited, are Nebraska, Creighton, and Wisconsin. We will find out in a little over 48 hours how well that visit went.
Even if Izzo does not win this recruiting battle, it sounds like there are other options. Tre Townsend from Oakland University and Javonne Hadley of Colorado have both also been mentioned as possible additions to MSU, though neither have made any official announcements, not even listing finalists for their talents. Both of those players are listed at 6’6”, with Townsend being a forward and Hadley officially a guard. One other player who has been discussed in the media as a target for Izzo is Keyshawn Hall from George Mason, a 6’7” forward. Hall has announced MSU in his final four along with Arkansas, Central Florida, and Southern Cal.
It is interesting that there have not been any centers linked to Michigan State. It feels like there would certainly be an opportunity for a big man to carve out some heavy minutes there among the Spartans’ returning talent. Maybe that will still happen.
Let’s hear from you. Who among the above four players would you most like to get in an MSU jersey next year? Are there any centers who have already put their name in the portal that you think MSU could have a serious shot at? How many players do you think Coach Izzo will bring on board from the portal this offseason?