Michigan State Says Goodbye To Garrick Sherman

Michigan State basketball underachieved in the 2010-2011 season. At times MSU looked like an ACC school content to shoot the ball outside settling for one bad jumper after another.

Last summer Chris Allen (arguably the team’s best outside shooter) was dismissed from the team and midway through the season Korie Lucious met the same fate. There were problems on this team. They were glaring to say the least. They never really found their stride even though the talent was clearly in place for another Final Four run the team wasn’t.

Meanwhile, Garrick Sherman lingered on the sideline. A starter early in the year was relegated to benchwarmer and there was no concerted effort placed on interior scoring. Many have speculated that “Sherm” was unhappy due to his lack of minutes. I have stated numerous times, even before he announced his transfer that I felt the lack of minutes had little to do with it.

Garrick Sherman is a good kid. He comes from a good family in rural Ohio. As with any divorce there are two parties and both usually share the blame in a failing relationship.

We spoke to Garrick on his recent decision to transfer to Notre Dame and he had this to say. “I’m pretty excited to reinvent myself and get a second chance to become the player I want to be.”

While others have dismissed Sherman as merely a player we could afford to lose and replace with another high profile high school All-American, I have maintained that his loss is huge. It was clear that his minutes in the playing rotation were not going to be there, but his character contribution and work ethic (now that he is healthy this summer) are two pieces this team needs.

I have started to wonder whether MSU basketball has lost its identity as the rough and tough, defensive minded, break your will black and blue team that so many others once feared. Sherman’s game isn’t fancy, but it can be effective. He is going to go on and have a good career at a good Big East program. Chris Allen needed to go. This was nothing like the Chris Allen saga.

Garrick commented on his thought process regarding his decision to join the Irish. “I wanted to find the best fit, but ironically Notre Dame was always in the back of my mind. I was thinking it was probably going to be the best fit. They have had so much success with transfers.”

Garrick Sherman will be missed. It was no secret that he was very much liked by his MSU teammates. In the end, the MSU program as it has evolved was not the best fit for Sherm. Both he and the MSU coaching staff contributed to this relationship not working. We hope that Garrick goes on and has a successful career at Notre Dame and wish him nothing but success from here on out… unless of course we meet the Irish in the tournament.