Key Players for Michigan State Men's Basketball Next Season
Michigan State men's basketball finished last season with a 19-14 record overall and a 10-10 record in Big Ten play.
It was a disappointing season all around after being a preseason top-five team. This year is the exact opposite -- not a lot of expectations are on the Spartans to win or even get to the Final Four. As Tyson Walker, Malik Hall, A.J. Hoggard and Mady Sissoko leave, the other players on the roster are going to have a chance to shine and take over for Spartans coach Tom Izzo.
Michigan State guard Tre Holloman showed flashes of being a starting caliber guard in the BigTen. Throughout the season Holloman got to play more minutes because of the gunshot injury that had freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. sit for the rest of the season. With that, Coach Izzo needed Holloman to step up, and he delivered.
Holloman showed off his passing ability, his confidence in his shooting ability and his aggressiveness getting to the basket. One of his best games was during the conference tournament as Michigan State beat Minnesota 77-67. Holloman didn't put up crazy numbers, as he only finished with 9 points in 21 minutes, but he looked comfortable being the point guard and being a defensive presence out on the perimeter, getting two key steals and a block.
Spartan center Xavier Booker was a McDonald's All-American and a consensus top-10 player coming out of high school. Most Michigan State fans wanted to see Booker in the starting lineup, but Izzo had him sit on the bench. The talent was never the issue with Booker; it was more due to his weight and him being on the thinner side as he was listed at 215 pounds when he first got on campus.
Since then, Booker gained around 20 pounds and saw many more significant minutes during the season. Next season should be a big season for Booker. With Sissoko and Hall leaving, Booker will be competing with new Michigan State transfer center Szymon Zapala for the starting job.
Either center has a chance to give the Spartans a unique type of player they haven't had since Jaren Jackson Jr. back in 2018.
Wing Jaden Akins is a player who has always been out of position during his time with the Spartans. Akins was always put at the small forward position and would be on the court with all-conference guards Walker and Hoggard. Akins is a good defender and overall player, but it's hard to defend when being a 6-4 small forward and having to guard bigger wing players.
With that, Akins was always left out on the offense and regulated to being a catch-and-shoot player along the 3-point line. This upcoming season, with the addition of transfer wing Frankie Fidler, Akins won't have to worry about being out of position and will get to play the shooting guard, which is a better position for him to thrive, while also being able to be given the keys and be a key scorer for the Spartans.
These three players are the key for Michigan State next season. If the Spartans want to get back to the Final four and get Izzo's second championship, these guys have to step up. If they do, then there might be another banner to hang in the Breslin Center.
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