BREAKING: Jaden Akins, AJ Hoggard withdraw from NBA Draft, return to MSU
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Michigan State’s men’s basketball roster is set for the 2023-24 season.
On Wednesday, rising senior AJ Hoggard and rising junior Jaden Akins each withdrew their names from the 2023 NBA Draft deadline, confirming their return to East Lansing for another season as Spartans.
While this was the expected outcome from the moment Akins and Hoggard entered their names into the draft process back in late April, it’s still an important and exciting development for a program that expects to compete for a national championship in 2023-24.
With Akins and Hoggard officially back in the fold, Michigan State returns five of their six leading scorers from last year's squad, which reached the 'Sweet Sixteen'. Hoggard averaged 12.9 points per game while shooting 41.7% from the field and 32.9% from 3-point range a season ago. Starting 33 of 34 games, the junior added 5.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
Akins, meanwhile, 9.8 points per game on 42% shooting from the field and an impressive 42.2% on 3-point attempts. The sophomore added four rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game as well.
Of the two players, Akins was more likely to remain in the NBA Draft. While somewhat undersized for the pro game at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Akins is arguably the best athlete in the Spartans' program. While he made a considerable leap between his freshman and sophomore seasons in terms of production, there are certainly signs that Akins can take things to a whole new level as a junior in East Lansing.
Akins entered last season coming off an eight-week absence following foot surgery in the offseason. All that missed time limited the sophomore's preseason conditioning, and as Akins began playing his way into "game shape", he suffered another setback. Four games into the year, Akins was sidelined with a stress reaction in his surgically-repaired foot, causing him to miss the next four games and restart that conditioning process.
The sophomore put up solid numbers despite those setbacks. Akins has the potential to be Michigan State's top backcourt defender. Head coach Tom Izzo noted on multiple occasions last season how Akins lack of ample conditioning prior to the season had limited the sophomore's prowess on the defensive end. If Akins can stay healthy this summer and enter the 2023-24 season fully-conditioned, the rising junior could be in store for another leap.
Heading into next season, Michigan State is considered a Top 5 or 10 team by most publications. The Spartans will miss last season's second-leading scorer Joey Hauser, and his blazing hot 46.1% 3-point shooting percentage, but every other major contributor from a year ago is back for 2023-24. Additionally, MSU brings in the nation's No. 3-ranked recruiting class, which will bring added depth and athleticism to the roster.
This is a team expected to compete for championships and hang new banners at the Breslin Center.
