How MSU's Jervis Proving Pedigree in First Moneyball Games
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HOLT, Mich. -- Michigan State's top freshman has looked the part so far this summer.
Shooting guard Jasiah Jervis is as close to being a 5-star recruit without being one as it gets. He's ranked 31st overall in the class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite. The player at 30th, USC's Darius Ratliff, has the fifth star. Jervis has four.
Jervis' Early Outlook
Being the first guy out of 5-star territory is still a pretty highly regarded recruit, though. Jervis is still the top prospect in MSU's recruiting class, which is ranked No. 5 nationally during the most recent cycle per 247Sports. He's the highest-rated guard the Spartans and Tom Izzo have landed since Max Christie, which puts Jervis above the likes of Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jase Richardson.
Freshmen have to earn their way to playing time at Michigan State, though -- probably more so than the majority of other schools. Christie is still the most recent player to start right away for MSU as a true freshman. It took Fears getting sick for Richardson to make the starting five for the first time. Jordan Scott didn't get his first start until February last season.
"All that stuff I did in high school, it don't mean nothing now," Jervis said this past Thursday. "I'm back to square one. I've just got to produce and show that I'm a winner."
I think Jervis has the opportunity to be that first immediate freshman starter since Christie. His game complements Fears' in a way that I think he should be out there immediately at the two, rather than Scott or Kur Teng. Scott can still swing over and play small forward, while Teng is coming back from foot surgery that has kept him out of the Moneyball Pro-Am and will likely still have limitations defensively.
Jervis' score-first playstyle and versatility make him a ready-made two-guard to put next to Fears. He can generate his own offense at 6'4" and is immediately a three-level scoring threat. Michigan State was missing that archetype at the two last year, which is part of why Tre Holloman's decision to leave stung. It's a hole he and Jervis could've filled pretty easily. Jervis is a good enough ball-handler; I'd have to guess he'd be MSU's third option at point guard, too.
"There's definitely high expectations," Jervis said. "But I'm a confident kid, and I get a chance to learn from Jeremy Fears. He's a seasoned point guard, and he's been through ups and downs and stuff like that. There's other seniors that I can learn from; even the sophomores. They've been there, so I always ask questions and see what I need to do to stay on that floor."
Big Numbers From Moneyball
Jervis was the top scorer during the first week of games at the Moneyball Pro-Am, totaling 71 points through two games. He's paired up with sophomore forward Cam Ward on Team Faygo.
Jervis scored 27 points during his first Moneyball game in a win over Team Motorcars (featuring Anton Bonke and Carlos Medlock Jr.). He followed that up with 44 points in an overtime loss against Team Tri-Star Trust (featuring Jesse McCulloch). Those 44 points were also the most points for any player in any game thus far.
Defense is a bit rare during the pro-am, but Michigan State is still going to look to Jervis to be one of its better scorers this coming year. Jervis has flashed his hops on occasion, made some difficult mid-range shots, and he's also tied for the event lead alongside Fears and Scott with seven made threes thus far.
Connections With Fellow Freshmen
Jervis has also had unique opportunities to play with other members of the Spartans' incoming class. There isn't any real past connection between Jervis and Medlock, but Jervis has already been teammates with Julius Avent and Ethan Taylor. Jervis and Avent were teammates on the PSA Cardinals when they were about 16 on the EYBL circuit. Taylor and Jervis were just teammates on the Team USA U18 team during last month's AmeriCup in Mexico.
Medlock and Jervis haven't played together yet, but they can both be massive boosts as score-first guards who can make Fears' job much easier at point guard. The lack of a second reliable, consistent scoring option in the backcourt was Michigan State's fatal flaw last season. MSU's roster is as complete as it has been in some time, and no limitations are currently in place.
"Just to produce and be efficient; just do whatever it takes for the team to win," Jervis said when asked about his expectations for his freshman season. "I'm definitely looking forward to winning a national championship. I'm a winner, and I just want to win."
Hear From Jervis Directly
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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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