EXCLUSIVE: What Makes Elite Tom Izzo, MSU Basketball Target Special
Michigan State basketball's most recent offer, four-star forward Anthony Thompson, is a three-level scorer who has an athletic 6-foot-7 frame and the ability to become a big-time impact player at the next level.
Thompson is the No. 11-ranked overall prospect in the 2026 class. Thompson, attending Western Reserve Academy this fall, will unite with another big Tom Izzo target in 2025 five-star Niko Bundalo.
I spoke to Thompson, who told me what he felt his strengths were as a player.
"My biggest strength right now is probably my shooting ability," Thompson said. "That's something that I've kind of always been good at, even when I was kind of a smaller player, my shooting ability is what stood out. As I've gotten a lot taller and stronger, I've tried to add more, you know, finishing [moves] around the basket. Using my length is something I've also gained a lot. I know when I go to Western Reserve I'm going to work a lot on getting more stronger. Learning just kind of how to expand my game even more. Become an even more versatile player as far as shooting and putting the ball on the floor and creating plays and being a playmaking 4."
Thompson has plenty of tools and traits that Izzo likes in a player. That much is a given. But what some might consider most impressive about Thompson is his own awareness as to what he is capable of doing. He knows himself. It plays into his approach to not just the game itself, but camps.
"I think kinda the main thing that I do, especially recently as I've been going to bigger camps is just kinda of playing my game and not trying to get too caught up in doing stuff that I'm not used to doing," Thompson said. "Just understanding that I can play my game and be able to perform at a high level, and be able to get myself to stand out. Because I think at younger ages when I was going to camps I would try to do stuff that I wasn't really comfortable doing and I kinda thought that hurt me more than how it helped me so like, going to camps now I'm just looking at doing what I'm comfortable doing and hoping that it will help me stand out."
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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MICHAEL FRANCE