Akins Has Had Strong Senior Season for Michigan State
The Michigan State Spartans are off to a great start to the 2024-25 college basketball season.
The Spartans are 7-2, riding strong momentum into their finals break. Tom Izzo’s team will be back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 17, against the Oakland Grizzlies.
Part of what has made this MSU team so strong this season is the growth of young players and the leadership of some of the team’s most experienced players.
However, MSU does not have many homegrown seniors. Guard Jaden Akins has been in East Lansing the longest, supplemented by senior transfers Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala.
Because of this, Izzo has needed Akins to lead the Spartans with his play and his actions and characteristics.
And so far, Akins has delivered.
The senior guard is averaging a team-high and career-high 13.0 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Sliding back over to his natural position as a shooting guard, Akins has played some of the best basketball of his career over the first nine games of the year.
The Spartans have lacked experienced leadership in the last few seasons, so seeing a player like Akins step up in the moments the team has needed has been refreshing.
Akins has always been an impressive shooter and an excellent defender. Izzo often deploys him against the opposing team’s best offensive player, and Akins gets the job done. His large frame and athleticism are often overpowering for an opposing guard. Akins is averaging 0.7 steals in 2024.
One area in which Akins has improved tremendously is his self-creation ability in the half-court. In the last few years, his handle has not been what it could be. He struggled to penetrate against defenses with dribble drives. Now, he is taking the ball to the rim more consistently. Akins is averaging the highest true shooting percentage of his career at just above 54 percent.
Akins has not been afraid of big moments this season. When the Spartans need a bucket from the outside, Akins has delivered. The question with Izzo teams in the past has been, "Who on this team can get themselves a bucket?"
Akins has been that guy.
MSU knew what Akins could become during his freshman season. He has developed nicely over the years and now looks poised to lead this team on a deep run in March.
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