3 Reasons MSU Must Target Big Portal Names at Center
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Tom Izzo and the transfer portal aren't what you would call a match made in heavan.
The longtime Michigan State head coach would probably avoid using it entirely if he could. He's adjusted enough to the point where it seems to be classified as a necessary evil in the Spartans' roster construction, but you don't often see MSU go out and make a super big splash.
According to the Rivals Industry Transfer Portal rankings from last year, Trey Fort was the Spartans' highest-rated addition at 254th overall. Michigan State landed a total of four players from the portal last year. Only one, Divine Ugochukwu (Miami), was from a high-major school, and none were true transfer-portal blue-chips.
MSU's top priority in the portal this year is at the center. There are a couple of reasons why the Spartans should open up the checkbook a bit and get a big-name option.
Unproven Other Options
Some of it is out of necessity. Right now, Jesse McCulloch might be the best option at the five. He has the potential to be a pretty good big man down the line, but he still only appeared in two of MSU's final eight games this season. Jumping from being a month-of-March "DNP-coach's decision" to a starter would be a pretty big leap of faith.
Freshman Ethan Taylor is also unlikely to be ready to start immediately. He's the third-best center in the class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite, but Taylor was coming off the bench this season at Link Academy (Mo.). He's probably going to need a year to develop before taking on a more substantial role in the Michigan State rotation.
Willingness To Adapt
Izzo said a few years ago, after MSU lost to North Carolina in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, that he was going to get back to deep runs in March Madness or "die trying."
Michigan State has gotten back to the Elite Eight and the Sweet 16 in the years since, but that next Final Four berth has eluded the Spartans. Izzo has used the portal more to help adjust to the new age, but it hasn't been enough to reach college basketball's final stage.
MSU lost to a transfer-loaded Auburn team last year. This season, Michigan State fell to a more homegrown UConn team, but the Huskies boasted elite transfer addition Tarris Reed Jr. (cough, cough) at center, who put up a game-high 20 points in that game.
These past two seasons have shown that Izzo has adjusted enough to changes to get the Spartans back into comfortable territory as a pretty good team with second-weekend expectations. The adjustment hasn't been enough to get Michigan State to the top tier, though. For Izzo to maximize his odds at getting that second title he's been chasing for a generation, he needs to turn up the aggressiveness in the players he targets in the portal a bit more.
Core Deserves It
The blend of players already in East Lansing is already in a position to do some great things. Guys like Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr, who have helped deliver this program a Big Ten title and will be set for their fourth years in the program next season, have the right to be thinking bigger.
Fears would have the 2027-28 season if he wants it, but Carr is the lone senior on next year's roster. Conference title banners are great, but reaching that Final Four (or better) is where you're in the books forever.
You have to try to maximize your odds at the Final Four every year. It can be noble to avoid blocking the development of McCulloch or Taylor, but there is no guarantee those guys won't transfer away down the line.
The big risk could be the NIL price tag, especially since top big men are in high demand this cycle. That's a lot of resources to devote to one player, and it can also cause locker-room problems over pay. In this case, though, the risk is worth it. Michigan State has the leaders to keep everyone together, but team chemistry still only gets one so far. MSU needs to bolster its talent level a bit more to get over the top.
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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