How MSU's Medlock Positioning Himself for Big Freshman Season
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HOLT, Mich. -- The point guard position at Michigan State seems to be in good hands for the near future.
MSU is bringing back All-American Jeremy Fears Jr. this season. Tom Izzo and the staff are making sure there is proper backup behind him now. Freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. made a statement that he can be a lot more than that immediately during Night 1 of the Moneyball Pro-Am on Tuesday night.
Medlock's Debut (Sort of)
What makes Medlock an interesting addition right away is that he's a different type of point guard from Fears. He's going to prioritize his own scoring a little bit, whereas Fears is a lot more pass-first. Those different play styles can mean that the two of them could realistically coexist together on the court, even as the only two true point guards on the roster.
"Probably a combo [guard]," Medlock said about the kind of role he wants this coming year. "If I come off the bench, I'll probably come in for Fears and lead that team. And if I play with him, just play off the ball and just be the help that he needed last season."
Medlock dropped 22 points during his first Moneyball game with Team Motorcars in a 78-73 loss to Team Faygo (featuring Cam Ward and Jasiah Jervis). He got his points through two three-pointers and eight two's.
One of the most interesting moments came when Medlock and Jervis were guarding one another. Medlock had the ball on the left wing, his fellow freshman right in front of him. The emcee said into the mic, "Don't let him score!"
Almost recognizing the moment, all eight other players on the court cleared out and put the two of them on an island. Jervis actually played some very solid defense, forcing Medlock to take a tough fadeaway jumper from about 12 feet away or so. Medlock's shot was pure butter. Two points.
It's the kind of scoring ability and shot that wasn't seen often this past season. It's the kind of thing you'd see Jase Richardson pull out at the end of an otherwise-poor possession two seasons ago to bail his team out. It's the kind of archetype the Spartans truly need in their next backcourt.
More Thoughts About Medlock
It'll be interesting to see how Medlock's game looks in a more rigid, half-court offense. All the excitement from big games at Moneyball has to be taken with a grain of salt. Players aren't exactly exerting themselves on defense (so as not to get injured), and plenty of shots are taken within 10 seconds or so.
That's why, personally, I'm more worried about changes from the prior season and how play styles can translate. Scoring 22 points in Moneyball isn't quite the same as scoring 22 points against a Big Ten team. The situation for Medlock in the 2026-27 campaign should be extremely beneficial.
Medlock's own future with the program was drastically impacted by Fears' decision to stay. Getting to learn from Fears for a season was one of the things that made MSU an attractive destination to him. If Fears had gone to the league, Medlock would've been thrust into a starting position a year too early.
"It was tough," Medlock said about when Fears' status was in the air. "It was like, 'Dang,' because I didn't want him to leave, and then I'd have to learn from somebody else or do it on my own. So it's good for him to be back and just learn from his legacy, being at Michigan State, and just learning from him."
The backcourt for the Spartans could be loaded this year if Medlock is a hit. I think Medlock will end up commanding a role worth much more than being the point guard who keeps the ship afloat when Fears needs a break. Fears might be the best point guard in the country next season and will get at least 30 minutes per game.
Medlock doesn't feel like a 10-minute-per-game freshman. What is difficult is the fact that there are plenty of guys who will command shooting guard minutes as well.
Jervis is one of them as the highest-rated recruit in the incoming freshman class. Kur Teng should be ready for the upcoming season, even though he's sitting out Moneyball this year due to a foot surgery he had. Jordan Scott also told me Tuesday that the plan is to keep splitting between shooting guard and small forward.
It's a packed rotation. Tons of players, including Medlock, will have high expectations this coming season. At least a player or two will probably not get the minutes they deserve. Medlock's rise and potential to help at shooting guard are the type of things that can really shake things up.
Hear from Medlock
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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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