3 More Potential Transfer Portal Targets for MSU Basketball
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The transfer portal is about the open.
All the chaos officially begins on Tuesday, but hundreds of players have already at least announced their intentions to seek out new schools. Once Michigan State and Tom Izzo are officially allowed to get in touch with every prospect (sans players with do-not-contact tags), these are three players they should reach out to:
Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
If Izzo feels like going on a spending spree, Flory Bidunga is a guy worth reaching out to. He is coming off a nice year with Kansas, averaging 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and a Big 12-high 2.6 blocks per game. He was also the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year.
Reports surfaced that Bidunga would enter the transfer portal on Thursday and the NBA Draft. Not only would MSU be competing with tons of other high-major programs for Bidunga, On3's No. 2 overall portal prospect, but the Spartans would have to position themselves as a more enticing option than a leap to the NBA.
The price tag might be the biggest thing to clear here. His asking price could very well clear what potential returnees Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr might be looking for. If Michigan State won't meet Bidunga's financial goals, there's a high chance another program will.
But adding Bidunga could be what catapults Michigan State into national title contention next year. An elite rim protector and rebounder who can also shoot 64% from the field is how you replace Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, and then add some whipped cream on top. MSU also offered Bidunga out of high school, so there is a bit of a pre-built relationship there.
Colby Garland (San Jose State)
Something Michigan State was missing last year was a guy it could turn to to just go get a basket. There were too many stretches last year when the Spartans went extended periods without a made shot, with an eight-minute drought against UConn ultimately sinking MSU's season.
San Jose State's Colby Garland can be an option. He reportedly announced his intention to enter the portal on March 19, and next year will be his fourth school in four years. Garland has reasons, though. He began at Drake with Darian DeVries, but then DeVries went to West Virginia. From there, he went to Longwood, but then head coach Griff Aldrich left to be the associate HC at Virginia.
After averaging 20.3 points per game this past season, Garland probably wants to experience high-major hoops during his final year of eligibility. He played point guard for SJSU, but MSU could shift him to shooting guard and help fuel competition in the Spartans' backcourt.
Izzo has also gameplanned for Garland this year, so the name is at least a little fresh in his and the coaching staff's mind. Garland and San Jose State traveled to East Lansing on Nov. 13. Michigan State won, 79-60, but Garland scored 22 points and only turned the ball over once in 35 minutes that day.
Tyler Tejada (Towson)
Another enticing option in the portal is Towson transfer, Tyler Tejada. He's spent his whole career at Towson up to this point, but is transferring this offseason. Reports surfaced of his intentions on March 30
Tejada would add significant versatility to the Spartans' lineup. Standing at 6-foot-9, he can move on down to power forward if needed, but he's also skilled enough with the ball in his hands to play small forward or even shooting guard. It's tough to know what he'll do next, which is how he became the 2024-25 CAA Player of the Year. Tejada averaged 17.7 points per game this season.
What could be difficult is the unreliability of Tejada's range. He's got a pretty good mid-range jumper, which is a plus, but he only shot 29.1% from deep last season. With Jasiah Jervis coming in as a capable shooter, keeping Kur Teng (38.1% from three this season) around would make Tejada a better fit.
On3 currently lists Tejada as a small forward. The site ranks him 70th overall in the portal class and 11th among those at that position.
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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