Tom Izzo’s 30th season is days away from opening, and he’s already starting Michigan State basketball’s 2025 recruiting class with a bang.
The Spartans landed a commitment from four-star swingman Jordan Scott on Thursday night, their first pledge for next season.
Scott is ranked the No. 91 player nationally and No. 20 small forward, according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings. The 6-foot-7, 185-pound small forward from South Lakes High in Reston, Virginia, picked the Spartans over Maryland and Virginia Tech.
“Tom Izzo is a legendary coach. He’s built a great foundation over the past 30 years,” Scott told 247Sports.com during his video announcement. “And I definitely want to be a part of that program.”
Scott was named Virginia’s Class 6 player of the year in March after averaging 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a junior. It was his second straight Class 6 first-team all-state selection.
Izzo dipped into the transfer portal during the offseason to pick up senior wing Frankie Fidler for his final year of eligibility, which will open a spot for Scott to potentially make an immediate impact as a freshman next season.
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“I think he trusts me over the past few years that he’s been recruiting me,” Scott said of Izzo. “He’s obviously looking for a tall big man who can stretch the floor, and I think he sees that in me. He also sees that I can play the right way and play the Michigan State way.”
MSU also is a finalist for two other four-star recruits.
Cam Ward, a 6-7 power forward from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is ranked No. 50 overall by 247Sports’s composite rankings and has the Spartans along with Kansas State, Virginia and Maryland as his finalists. He is expected to announce his decision Oct. 30, according to 247Sports.
Another power forward, 6-10 Niko Bundalo from Prolific Prep in California, has MSU, North Carolina, Ohio State and Connecticut among his final four. A native of Uniontown, Ohio, Bundalo is rated the No. 26 overall player and No. 7 power forward, according to 247Sports.com’s composite rankings.
The Spartans open exhibition play at 1 p.m. Sunday against Division II Northern Michigan, Izzo’s alma mater, at the Superior Dome in Marquette. The game will be televised on Big Ten Network, and Izzo’s No. 10 will be retired by the Wildcats.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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