Michigan State basketball fans need to calm down and trust Tom Izzo. The man still has what it takes.
Five days since Michigan State’s basketball season ended with a loss to Auburn in the Elite Eight, closing out not only the season but also the Spartan careers of Jaden Akins, Frankie Fidler, Szymon Zapala, Tre Holloman, Xavier Booker, Gehrig Normand, and possibly Jase Richardson.
Six players are gone after a 30-7 season that featured an Elite Eight appearance and a Big Ten title.
That might sound like a lot, but Michigan State is still returning key players like Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, Kur Teng, (possibly) Richardson, and Jesse McCulloch, plus adding two top-50 recruits from the 2025 class, Cam Ward and Jordan Scott. The team has significant talent.
Michigan State will likely have three spots open if it decides to explore the transfer portal, and the reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year, Tom Izzo, will probably secure 1-2 players who fit his system.
Remember, it’s only been five days.
Still, fans are panicking because other Big Ten teams are making significant moves in the transfer portal—Michigan, for example, has the top transfer class in the country. Even UCLA is making moves, having picked up Xavier Booker on Friday. The Spartans, meanwhile, have only contacted one player publicly and have remained quiet in the portal.
This is just another typical offseason under Tom Izzo. Nothing out of the ordinary.
A similar situation happened last year when Michigan State lost Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Malik Hall, and Mady Sissoko. Fans feared the end of the NCAA Tournament streak after the departures of four starters from a 9-seed. Then Izzo added Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala. That didn’t seem like much, right?
Wrong.
Izzo secured two transfers who seamlessly fit into the system. Fidler might have been better if he’d adjusted quicker, but he still provided solid minutes off the bench, and Zapala was a reliable big. And let’s not forget Jase Richardson’s impact.
Michigan State went on to win the Big Ten by three games and secured 30 wins, finishing just six points shy of Izzo’s ninth Final Four.
So why is everyone panicking now? Because the Spartans lost one unexpected player from the regular rotation—a rarity under Izzo.
Why not sit back and trust Izzo? He’s earned that trust. It’s clear that he rediscovered his passion this past season. He still has it. Izzo hasn’t lost his touch as some critics had suggested.
And if Richardson returns? That would be better than any transfer they could land. A lineup with Fears, Richardson, Teng, Carr, and Kohler would be an exciting one.
In my opinion, that’s a Big Ten championship-caliber starting five.
Plus, there’s still plenty of time to assess the portal. Michigan State will certainly add at least one transfer this offseason, and it will be a solid fit for Izzo’s system. Let’s all relax and trust that Izzo knows what he’s doing and understands how to build a Big Ten title-winning roster.
The journey for a repeat title starts now.
