Tom Izzo, MSU Basketball Targeting Top 2026 Guard
The 2026 class is quickly becoming a priority for Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. He is targeting talented guards like Jonathan Sanderson, Dezhon Hall, Gabriel Sularski, and Steven Reynolds along with a top forward in Anthony Thompson.
Another recruit that Izzo taking a look at is shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr., an elite five-star prospect. Smith recently told 24/7 High School Hoops that Michigan State was one of the schools contacting him the most, along with Louisville, Kansas, and Duke.
2026 5⭐️ Jordan Smith Jr. (@sm23itty) told @LeagueRDY he will take an unofficial visit to Duke on September 28th.
— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) August 21, 2024
Smith told me that Michigan State, Louisville, Duke and Kansas are the four schools he’s hearing from a lot right now.
#5 in the ESPN100. pic.twitter.com/dhQ980P2pb
Smith widely considered to be one of the best prospects in the 2026 class. The Fairfax, Virginia native is rated at No. 8 overall and the No. 2-ranked shooting guard in the class. He is Virginia's No. 1 player.
Performing at one of the top high school basketball events of the summer, the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, Smith earned "Top Dog" recognition from 247Sports' Leader Johnson. What Johnson highlights about Smith sounds like the traits of an Izzo guard.
"The 'Top Dog' distinction goes to the toughest competitor," Johnson wrote. "A guy who can dominate a game by doing the small things and dirty work. With that in mind, there's no one more fitting of this accolade than [Smith]. At Peach Jam, Smith proved multiples times that he could use his strong, wiry frame, athleticism and toughness to impact the win column.In fact, his presence helped his team get to the tournament's final four.
"Smith oozes with winning intangibles and makes for the best perimeter defender in the country. While at Peach Jam, Smith averaged 12.9 points, five-rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals a game. He also shot 74.5% from the field and 66.7% from 3."
Sean Moran, also of 247Sports, evaluated Smith for a North Carolina big board. Among the traits he praised, Moran highlighted Smith's "football player" build.
"Smith Jr. is one of the more explosive guards in high school with leaping ability and length (6-9 wingspan)," Moran wrote. "He plays hard and looks to aggressively attack the basket when he catches the ball on the wing or pushes the break in transition. From the outside, Smith Jr. has shown an improved 3-point shot (11-21 on spot-up 3’s in AAU), but this will be his main offensive improvement point as well as navigating pick and rolls playing off the ball.
Defensively, Smith Jr. uses his physical attributes as a strong on-ball defender and creates deflections and turnovers with his aggressiveness."
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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