Elite Spartans Hoops Target Breaks Down Visit to MSU, Others
The Michigan State Spartans are heavily invested in landing five-star forward Anthony Thompson, Western Reserve Academy star and Top 10 recruit of the 2026 class.
Head coach Tom Izzo has had a bit of a dry spell since 2023 when it comes to landing five-star talent, though he was close to landing five-stars Jalen Haralson and Darius Adams of the 2025 class.
But as Izzo would tell you, "coming close to a few recruits is like wanting to marry somebody and finishing second. You might as well finish 900th."
That being said, despite targeting the guard position heavily in the 2026 class, Thompson is likely his top priority as a forward. Thompson visited Michigan State on Oct. 20, and he broke down that visit to 247Sports' Dushawn London.
"It was my second time on campus, so I just watched practice," Thompson said. "Coach Izzo and the staff continued to talk to me about how I fit within their offense through my versatility with and without the ball. My shooting ability was a main aspect that they liked about my game and they see it being a heavy part of their offense."
Thompson also made a stop in Ann Arbor, where first-year Michigan coach Dusty May is looking to repair the damage done by the Juwan Howard era.
"The visit was really good I was able to go watch practice and get introduced to the coaches and campus," Thompson said. "It was really good to get an introduction to Coach May, the team and the program in general. They play really fast and play a spread-out offense so I'll be able to play on the wing if I were to go there. Pretty much I would be able to play all positions on the court and do things what guards and forwards do."
Thompson also told London what the is looking for in a program -- he wants NBA pedigree.
"I'm looking at how each school can develop me as a player,” he said. “My end goal is the NBA and I want a long career. With that being said, I want to go somewhere I can be developed as a player and have a good relationship with the players and coaches. I want to win a lot of games and compete at a high level."
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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