EAST LANSING Mich. – After a year full of ups and downs for the Michigan State University men’s basketball team, the offseason is finally here, but Tom Izzo and his Spartans are far from taking a break. On Nov. 11, 2022 Izzo inked what would be his best recruiting class to date, and the third best class in the nation for the 2023-24 basketball season.
These freshmen along with important returners such as leading scorer Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, and Malik Hall are giving MSU fans reason to be excited. When asked about next season most fans have similar words to share.
“The young players excite me, the returning starters need to make a jump if we want to make a run. I’m looking forward to the chemistry and experience our team will have. The freshmen are exciting and the fresh legs might be just what we need to make a run,” said MSU junior Austin Roestel.
MSU junior Jay DeCoster said he thinks about hope when next season’s team is mentioned. “They have the best chance to win a national for the first time since COVID took their season away,” said DeCoster. “I think this is the best roster in years, because of Tyson and Malik coming back and the recruiting class.”
According to ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25, MSU is ranked third in the country. An Izzo coached team hasn’t had these lofty expectations surrounding it since pre-COVID, when the team was being led by Cassius Winston. The Spartans had not made it past the first weekend since 2019, so they will look to build on their momentum from last March Madness, and many players have said they aren’t done yet.
MSU sophomore Niki Miles used excitement as her word to describe the upcoming season. “ It’s gonna be an exciting team to watch because we have a lot of depth and talent from both new and returning players. Most of the players have something to prove and it’s going to be fun to watch,” said Miles.
Junior Deshawn Watson agreed with her. “Since I’ve been going here MSU basketball hasn’t been elite like when I was a kid. It will be nice to have a great team next year primed to make a run at redemption.”
Whether it’s making a deep run in March, winning the Big Ten, starting the season strong and winning non-conference games, and many more scenarios, Spartan fans have a lot to be excited about.
Pure dominance is what sophomore Ethan Hunter said next year’s performance was going to be. “They are returning their best players, adding a top recruiting class, and players with ambition. Things are going to happen and East Lansing is going to burn.”