at first glance, of Michigan Losses from the 2021-22 roster look minimal. The Spartans bid farewell to his only one from his 23-13 team to score in double figures, leaving the NCAA Tournament where he lost to the No. 2 seed in the second round. dukeBut look deeper and you’ll see just .500 in the last two seasons of Big Ten play as legendary coach Tom Izzo prepares for his 28th season on the MSU bench. A somewhat uncertain outlook emerges for the program. new contract in hand.
The Spartans lost the top three scorers, top shot blockers and top rebounders from last season’s roster. Seven of last season’s 11-minute leaders are back, but they’re physically out of shape with the departures of bigs Marcus Bingham and Julius Marble, as well as full-size wings Max Christie and Gabe Brown. The part of the roster that looks a little tilted is just 10 scholars.
Eight of Michigan State’s 10 scholarship players are likely to make the top 100, one has proven to be a major midway transfer, and another needed early in his career. A true freshman who shouldn’t be. An excellent orchestrator, Izzo has enough clay to form his team for his 25th consecutive NCAA tournament of the program. Once he gets there, anything can happen, as evidenced by the Spartans’ eight Final Four appearances during Izzo’s tenure.
Get a glimpse of how Michigan State’s starting lineup and rotation will shape up as the 2022-23 college basketball season approaches.
Expected starting lineup
1. Tyson Walker
6-0 | 175 | Senior
It took some time, but Walker eventually developed into a stable hand for Sparta with 28 starts last season after a two-year transfer. NortheastAfter averaging 2.4 turnovers per game over the first 20 games, Izzo improved his point guard rotation, averaging just 1.1 turnovers per game over the final 16 games. Playing Walker and Hoggard together could be a big blow to Michigan State’s offense in 2022-23 if Izzo can find a way to offset any potential defensive downside.
2. AJ Hoggard
6-4 | 210 | Jr.
Hoggard made a big leap forward as a sophomore in the 2021-22 season, playing a starting role for much of the second half of the season. He finished fourth in the Big Ten with 4.8 assists per game, despite playing far fewer minutes than the players ahead of him in this category. He should have a chance to be a double-digit scorer last season, with him playing 20.2 minutes per game. His biggest limitation is his 3-point shooting his mark of a career 20%.
3. Malik Hall
6-8 | 225 | Senior
Hall has the characteristics of a Big Ten breakout contender after registering the best overall BPR figures for the Spartans. evanmiya dot com last season. Essentially, he was Michigan State’s best two-way player in 2021-22, making his 42.6% of 3-point attempts. Hall has had ups and downs throughout his career, and the 2022 postseason was particularly quiet. But if he feels comfortable on the wing, he should be in a great position to play a consistent starting role on this roster. Gabe Brown was in a similar situation entering last season, using a solid senior year to sign an Exhibition 10 contract with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent, at least from a production standpoint. Hall could do the same this season.
4. Joey Hauser
6-9 | 230 | Redshirt-Sr.
Hauser is in his fourth season with the Spartans, and his third season as a qualified player since the transfer following an outstanding freshman season. Marquette 2018-19. While he hasn’t had much growth in his career, last season saw him dramatically reduce turnovers and produce some huge outside his shooting performances. 39.1% of his 3 points career His shooter, Hauser, is a mismatch against some defenses at his size. At this point, he qualifies as a savvy veteran of the team.
5. Maddie Sissoko
6-9 | 235 | Jr.
Sissoko, who averaged 4.9 minutes in 55 games in his first two seasons, will be playing a bigger role this season as Michigan State needs his physicality internally. The former four-star prospect has posted double-digit times only five times in his career, blocking two shots in three of those games: Bingham’s rim with his protection out of sight. , Sissoko could become his one of the most valuable defenders on this team. It’s easy to imagine his playing time this season being 15-18 minutes per game, but his playing time is likely to vary depending on his foul troubles and matchups.
bench
Jaden Akins
6-4 | 180 | Yes.
Among the nine Spartans who were consistently in Michigan State’s rotation last season, Eakins ranked eighth with 14.8 minutes played. However, the former four-star prospect was never out of the rotation during his true freshman season, producing some promising performances at times against quality opponents. Above, given that he’s more established, Eakins may have some grounds for earning the starting role.
Pierre Brooks
6-6 | 225 | Sof.
The guard and wing groups are mostly petite, so Brooks can change the pace thanks to his physicality. He appeared in his 25 games as a true freshman, but struggled to carve out his role in a stagnant roster that no longer mattered. He’s been one of the roster’s biggest mysteries because he’s played sparingly, but according to 247Sports, Brooks is the 64th overall prospect in the 2021 class, so he certainly has a chance to shine this season.
Jackson Kohler
6-9 | 250 | Fr.
Kohler should be looking for playing time at Michigan State in the 2022-23 season. This is because Spartan replaces Bingham and Marble in the interior. The four-star prospect was likened to Zach Randolph by Izzo when he signed last year. explained Caller, “a guy with incredible footwork and size,” said Kohler “can really score basketball.”
Tre Holloman
6-2 | 175 | Fr.
Considering how happy Izzo is to get deep into his bench, Holloman should have a good chance of playing a fair number early in his career. Izo has the talent to be a solid player in the league, but other guards may start the season ahead of him in the pecking order. explained Holloman signed on as “a competitive guy who can run points, distribute the ball and protect the world”. Anyone who can defend the world should have a spot on a team that was just 67th in defensive efficiency last season, according to kenpom.com.
depth
Carson Cooper | 6-10 | 220 | Fr.
With only 10 scholarship players currently on the roster, Michigan State could need Cooper in a pinch.But as the prospect of missed areas left Michigan To finish his preparatory career at IMG Academy, he geared up for a long-term project for Spartan.
“He’s big, he’s skilled, he’s powerful and he moves the court well,” Izzo said when signing Cooper. “We think of him as a post anchor and a player who can defend at the rim, but he also has the ability to stretch the floor and has great handling.”
