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Is Tom Izzo underutilizing the transfer portal?
To some, asking that question is like asking if cannibalism should be legal.
Izzo and Michigan State Spartans fans pride themselves on doing things the “right way” — bringing in high school recruits and molding them into NBA players, exceptional men, and unbelievable college basketball players.
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The Spartans have a long list of players who fit that mold, including — but certainly not limited to — two guys who just wrapped up their careers at MSU: Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper.
We all saw the viral graphic making the rounds that listed all Sweet 16 tournament teams’ top five players by minutes played and where they started their college careers. At first glance, it was obvious that nearly every team now uses the transfer portal like free agency in professional sports.
Every team, that is, except one.
Michigan State stood out immediately.
The Spartans had four players who started their careers at MSU and stayed there, along with one freshman. They were the only team among those 16 to have that kind of makeup. And for the most part, that was met with appreciation from Spartan fans — and even some outsiders.
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“They’re doing it the right way,” people said.
Michigan fans, talking heads, and especially Spartan fans all seemed impressed by what Izzo continues to do. There were plenty of water-cooler conversations about the value of building a college team like this, even in the middle of the sport’s most chaotic era. That was especially true when your archrival has become known for doing the complete opposite, with none of its top five minute-getters starting their careers there.
So the question was brought up to me: How much do you actually like that Michigan State grows its own talent?
And honestly, I had to think about it.
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At first? I love it.
As close as college sports are getting to the professional model, there’s still something awesome about “drafting” your own team,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/tom-izzo-more-aggressive-transfer-010547878.html
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Publish date : 2026-03-31 01:05:00
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