How Kur Teng Can Expand MSU Role in Junior Year

Kur Teng is one of the players in the most interesting spots entering the 2026-27 season.

His sophomore season at Michigan State was the first year Teng got serious playing time in his collegiate career. Teng played in all 35 of the Spartans' games, making four early-season starts. He was MSU's top scorer off the bench, averaging 7.3 points per game.

Teng's Value as Sophomore

Michigan State's Kur Teng shoots a three during a game against Ohio State at the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Most of Teng's points came by way of the three-ball. He is still probably the Spartans' most potent three-point shooter. Teng made 56 threes last season at a 38.1% clip. Those were the second-most made threes on the team, two behind Jaxon Kohler.

Teng often took some more difficult shots from behind the arc, though. He also had the biggest tendency to get hot from deep. Teng sank multiple three-pointers in 17 games last year, and he had a season-high of six made threes at Indiana on March 1.

Michigan State's Kur Teng cycles a pass against North Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Good things happened while Teng was on the court. His adjusted on-off margin split on EvanMiya.com was 12.2, which was the third-best mark on the team. That essentially means Michigan State was 12.2 points per 100 possessions better when Teng played compared to when he didn't. Only Jeremy Fears Jr. (23.7) and Kohler (20.2) had better marks.

Teng's lack of versatility is the reason he didn't play more. He's pretty locked in to playing the shooting guard spot on both offense and defense. Evolving beyond that is the way for Teng to see his role grow as a junior.

Outlook for 2026-27

Michigan State guard Kur Teng (2) dribbles against UCLA guard Skyy Clark (55) during the second half of Big Ten tournament quarterfinal at United Center in Chicago on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Improvement as a ball-handler and in lateral quickness are the two keys to the offseason for Teng. He's not going to get minutes as a point guard, barring injuries, but Teng becoming a bigger threat to drive to the basket would be a huge step. That starts with ball-handling.

One of the biggest problems last season was the lack of players besides Fears who could create their own offense. That's why the addition of Jasiah Jervis is huge for the Spartans. It gives them somebody to put next to Fears on the court who can also put the ball in the basket himself. Jervis can shoot well, too, but not at Teng's level. If Teng can be comparable as a creator, he'll get more minutes.

Michigan State Spartans guard Kur Teng, left, defends Detroit Mercy Titans guard Nate Johnson, right, during a game at the Breslin Center on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Defense is the reason why Teng didn't play more often, though. He doesn't have the size to really guard positions 3-5, and he doesn't move quickly enough to consistently defend quicker point guards.

Lateral quickness is something that can be improved. It's a big reason Carson Cooper got so much better during his time at MSU. Moving quicker side-to-side will make Teng more switchable and stout on the defensive end. Tom Izzo, still as defensive-minded as ever, is always looking for that.

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