MSU Men's Basketball Remains in Hot Pursuit of Top Players in the 2026 Class

Michigan State men's basketball's coaching staff has been in contact with multiple top 15 players in the 2026 class.

St. John Bosco's (Calif.) Brandon McCoy Jr. dunks the ball as the Braves take on the Central Bulldogs during the 39th Annual Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions at Great Southern Bank Arena on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. / Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader /

June 15 was an important day for college recruiting. This was the day that Division I college coaches were able to begin contacting class of 2026 recruits.

This past weekend, players were taking part of the USA Basketball's U17 team tryouts to try and compete for a roster spot for the FIBA World Cup.

According to an article from 247Sports' Eric Bossi, Michigan State reportedly reached out to a few top players from the tryouts. Even though it is very early in the players' recruitment process, it's good for Michigan State to get in touch with these players as soon as possible.

Let's look at some of the players that Michigan State has reportedly contacted.

Brandon McCoy, PG, St. John Bosco (California)

Point guard Brandon McCoy is ranked the No. 1 class of 2026 recruit, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. McCoy is someone who is impossible to keep in front of if you’re a defender. His shiftiness allows him to get to the bucket at will, whether it is driving past defenders or taking a jump shot.

“The 6-foot-4 guard out of California was almost impossible for defenders to contain off the dribble," Bossi wrote. "He got to whatever spot he wanted.”

Coach Tom Izzo has never been known to recruit players from California as Jaxon Kohler is the only Spartan from California.

Jordan Smith, Paul VI (Virginia)

Shooting guard Jordan Smith is ranked as the No. 13 player in the 2026 class, per 247Sports. Smith is someone who is an “insane” competitor.

Bossi describes Smith as someone who is “strong, quick, tough and above all he is smart. He knows how to use his length, he never stops competing and because he's always so active, he finds ways to make contributions on the offensive end.”

Smith is also someone who is a top defender in the 2026 class with his length and size to stay in front of the ball handler.

Cameron Holmes, Millenium (Arizona)

Shooting guard Cameron Holmes is ranked No. 14 in the class of 2026 according to 247Sports. Holmes is someone who is always engaged while on the court and doesn't take plays off.

“Holmes has been totally engaged for every moment of camp," Bossi wrote. "He has taken instruction, played with great energy and always got a smile on his face. He hasn't converted on as many open jump shots as he would have liked to, but he has been able to make a positive impact with his energy.” 

All three of these players would be great additions to Michigan State. Even though they are most likely not going to commit for another year, it's smart for Izzo and his staff to reach out to these top players and let them know that they want them in the Green and White.

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