Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had an interesting 2024 on the recruiting trail. Some of his top targets, which were blue-chip prospects, didn’t fall his way.
He also landed two players he was really high on while putting himself in a very good position to land elite 2026 prospects.
Michigan State has two Top 50-type talents in their 2025 haul with four-star forwards Jordan Scott and Cam Ward. Both are tough, two-way East Coast hoopers.
Of Scott, 247Sports’ Adam Finkelstein wrote: “Overall, Scott has size, two-way tools, and overall instincts that translate up levels, and thus clear long-term upside, but he’s farther away physically than most four-star prospects and thus going to require some patience before he can build up his body to play through the level of contact he’s going to see at the next level.”
Scott, from Virginia, is a tough, high IQ player who chose Michigan State, in part, because he knew what he was getting with Izzo. It fit what he wanted in a coach — a tough leader who will do whatever it takes to make his players better. A world-class developer. The Izzo system is more traditionalist, but who said that was a bad thing?
Ward, from Maryland, is similarly exciting as a prospect.
“[Ward] is more naturally suited to defend fours than threes, but he’s plenty physical and a high-volume rebounder who can finish possessions next to a rim-protecting five,” Finkelstein wrote. “Ward is also a coach’s son who competes with consistent energy, understands the game, and appears to be a good teammate. The bottom line is that when Ward embraces being a four-man, he’s a hugely productive and efficient as both a scorer and rebounder.”
The Spartans also made big gains with top 2026 prospects in Steven Reynolds, a guard from South Bend Washington in Indiana, and elite forward Anthony Thompson of Ohio’s Western Reserve Academy.
Losing on top blue-chip talent hurts, even if Izzo doesn’t particularly go hard in the paint for top five-stars. But coming so close to landing elite five-stars in La Lumiere’s Jalen Haralson and Darius Adams, as well as forward Niko Bundalo, really stings.
As Izzo said during this year’s Big Ten Basketball Media Days:
“Coming close to a few recruits is like wanting to marry somebody and finishing second. You might as well finish 900th.”
When it comes to top in-state talent, Izzo typically gets what he desires. That wasn’t the case for Orchard Lake St. Mary’s five-star combo guard (and Top 20 prospect nationally) Trey McKenny. McKenney spurned the Spartans for bitter in-state rival, Michigan.
Choosing first-year head coach Dusty May and a rebuilding program over the established, Hall of Fame coach in Izzo hurts. The fact that it was Michigan? Even more so.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated’s Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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