Elite Tom Izzo, MSU Basketball Target Was in Attendance For Football Home Opener
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The 2025 recruiting cycle for Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is heating up as important deadlines loom.
Izzo has yet to land a prospect from the class, but he is closing in on a few. In-state priority guard Trey McKenney and Ohio forward Niko Bundalo seem like good bets from the blue-chip pool. Forwards Jordan Scott and Trent Sisley have shown interest in the green and white, too.
The Spartans might have just taken a crucial step with one of the best players in the class. Dwayne Aristode, a five-star prospect, took an official visit this past weekend. He was in attendance at the Spartans' home opener for football, a 16-10 victory.
Aristode is a top prospect, the No. 19-ranked prospect in the 2025 class per 247Sports and the No. 3-ranked small forward. Aristode, of Brewster Academy, is the top recruit in New Hampshire.
He would be one of the highest-pedigree recruits Izzo has ever landed. On3's Jamie Shaw rated Aristode among the best prospects regardless of class standing.
"Aristode has a strong yet projectable frame with excellent length and positional size," Shaw wrote. "A Dutch national, the physical makeup already gives him a leg up. Then when you wrap this frame around some twitchy athleticism and straight-line burst, you can see why there is intrigue around the long-term outlook of Aristode. Listed at 6-foot-7, Aristode has shown confidence as a spot-up shooter, especially as a corner floor-spacer.
"And currently, that is where a lot of his value lies. His length and athletic makeup allow for defensive projection, especially as an off-ball guy who can guard down a lineup as he continues to get stronger. Aristode will need to continue diversifying his ball handling. Self-creation in the half-court will open up a few more archetype pathways for him to grow into. However, when you look at this positional size/frame, athletic makeup, and the ability to shoot, there are some valuable top-end outcomes that are possible."
Izzo has been able to land blue-chips time and again, but in the competitive world of college basketball recruiting, it is very difficult for any program to land the five-stars. Mostly, blue blood programs make their living on high four-stars or regular four-stars.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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