Michigan State's Tom Izzo Reveals Massive Update on Freshman Forward
The Michigan State Spartans are 1-0 after their 81-57 defeat of the Monmouth Hawks.
It took a second-half surge for the Spartans to pull away from Monmouth, but they made it happen nonetheless and now prepare for their next match-up on Thursday against Niagara.
There is a lot to be excited about with this Spartan team, and there could be a fun season ahead for Tom Izzo’s squad.
However, Spartan fans will have to wait a year to see a certain player.
After the Spartans’ victory on Monday, Izzo announced freshman big man Jesse McCulloch will be redshirted this season. The four-star recruit out of Cleveland, Ohio, showed promise throughout the summer and during the team’s exhibition games.
Izzo said that McCulloch is ready to play. However, he noted that that is why he is redshirting the freshman.
"Jesse McCulloch is redshirting because he's good enough,” Izzo said. “I could make a point for not redshirting him."
Izzo also said the decision to redshirt McCulloch could be revisited if the team suffers any injuries or if he wants to make a personnel change. However, he mentioned he does not wish to burn McCulloch’s redshirt if it is unnecessary.
Michigan State has depth at power forward and center this season. Transfer center Szymon Zapala had an impressive night with a nine-point, eight-rebound effort in a starting role.
Behind Zapala, the Spartans have experienced bigs with Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler. Kohler struggled against Monmouth, but Izzo made a point by mentioning that he was his best player all summer.
Coen Carr can also play power forward, meaning there is too much of a logjam for McCulloch to have had a chance to break through onto the court in 2024.
Izzo said McCulloch is ‘tough as nails,’ but redshirting him gives him a chance to prepare for the physicality of college basketball. As a taller, skinnier big man, having time to put on muscle can be beneficial down the line.
McCulloch has a chance to be an excellent player for the Spartans in the future, but those investments will have to pay off in a few years, not now.
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