REPORT: Michigan Native, Four-Star PG, a 'Priority Recruit' for MSU

Michigan State reportedly has heavier interest in a high-rising 2026 point guard from Missouri, who was originally from the state of Michigan.

Wayne Memorial's Carlos Medlock Jr. acknowledges a fan during the fourth quarter in the Division 1 state semifinal against Flint Carman-Ainsworth on Friday, March 14, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Things are ramping up in college basketball when it comes to recruiting the class of 2026. And Michigan State is part of the action.

The Spartans have been targeting some high-quality recruits, including some who have shot up the rankings since Michigan State offered them.

One of those is four-star point guard Carlos Medlock Jr., who plays for Link Academy High School in Missouri but was originally from the state of Michigan.

The Spartans offered Medlock over a month ago, and rival Michigan followed suit right after.

It's sounding like the battle could very well come down to the in-state rivals.

"In June, Michigan-native CJ Medlock saw his stock rise to a bona fide high-major recruit," wrote Jamie Shaw of On3/Rivals. "At that point, both in-state schools, Michigan and Michigan State, offered. Since then, programs like Creighton and Oklahoma State stepped up with tenders.

"Medlock, whose dad (Carlos Medlock) scored over 1,500 career points at Eastern Michigan, has not announced any visit dates, and in speaking with Medlock, he is still open to newcomers. Speaking with one source around the recruitment, I am told they feel Medlock will be tough to pull out of the state of Michigan.

"Speaking with another source, I am told that Tom Izzo has made Medlock a priority recruit. With the late nature of his rise, he could still see more offers come into play. Continue to pay attention to which visits he sets and if a commitment timeline starts to take shape."

It's rather interesting if this is actually true. Izzo has a through-and-through floor general in Jeremy Fears Jr., who will likely still be here a year from now, barring a massive leap next season or a transfer. And you've got a young talent behind him in transfer sophomore Divine Ugochukwu, though, despite starting experience at Miami (FL), still has to prove himself.

Of course, a lot of prospects who run the point in high school are moved to shooting guard in college, so the Spartans don't have to be set on putting Medlock at the 1 if he were to choose the Spartans.

Medlock showed out in Adidas 3SSB Session 3 earlier this month. These stats, courtesy of SpartanMag's Paul Konynyk, tell the story:

Michigan State recruiting target Carlos Medlock Jr. has scored 20 plus in every game that Phenom United has played in adidas 3SSB Championship this week. He is averaging 27.3 points per game, five assists and shooting 45 percent from three.

— Paul Konyndyk (@Pkonyndyk) July 12, 2025

So regardless of needs, this is a talent any team should love to have.

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