Michigan State Basketball's Incoming Freshmen Class is a Tight-Knit Unit

Jase Richardson, Kur Teng and Jesse McCulloch have formed a tight bond as the prepare for their first season with Michigan State.

Lutheran East's Jesse McCulloch (35) dunks the ball during his team's win over Harvest Prep in the Division III state championship game Sunday, March 24, 2024. / Tony Tribble/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo has brought in yet another highly-touted recruiting class this year, headlined by four-star prospects Jase Richardson and Kur Teng.

Freshman forward Jesse McCulloch is in the mix as well, and together, the trio of freshmen have formed a unity as the program's latest recruiting class.

"My guys Jase and Kur, we talked on the daily almost [throughout the recruiting process]," McCulloch said at the 2024 Moneyball Pro-Am on Thursday. "And we were really just excited to get down here and work."

McCulloch and his fellow freshman teammates have entered a historic program with high standards. They know it takes much more than the bare minimum to put the work in, especially as freshmen.

"We have a great connection," McCulloch said. "We all know our role, we're all dedicated to the game, come in to get extra hours, so we really got a great freshmen class this year."

While McCulloch, Richardson and Teng all come from different backgrounds, right now, their experience is the same, which is beneficial for each of their transitions.

"It definitely does [help] knowing we were all from different parts," McCulloch said. "Jase was a little bit closer than me and Kur, but we still -- this is a hard adjustment, but we've been going through it together, so that really ties us together, for real."

McCulloch was a three-star recruit from Lutheran East High School in Ohio. He was ranked the No. 5 2024 prospect in the state, per 247Sports, and the No. 25 center in his class.

Richardson, son of Spartan legend Jason Richardson, was Izzo's best recruit from the class. The combo guard from Columbus High School in Miami, Florida was ranked the No. 4 combo guard in his class, per 247Sports, and the 35th-best 2024 recruit in the nation.

Teng, Jase's fellow four-star recruit, was ranked the No. 1 class of 2024 prospect in Massachusetts, per 247Sports, the No. 11 shooting guard in his class and the No. 58 2024 recruit in the nation.

These three freshmen likely won't see significant minutes this coming season, but their future with the program should be very bright.

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