Potential Returning Spartans Who Could See Role Increase
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It will not be long before the transfer portal officially opens.
That makes it hard to know exactly who at Michigan State will or will not be back next season. The Spartans are going into a pivotal offseason with the hopes that they can build a team that can contend for a national title during the 2026-27 season.
Player retention is what comes before adding via the transfer portal. MSU, of course, needs to hold onto players like Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr, who are primed to be the team's stars next season.
Depth is still always important, though. These three players can take on larger roles next season if they wind up staying at Michigan State:
Jesse McCulloch
The Spartans' big man is in an interesting spot right now. Jesse McCulloch didn't play in six of MSU's final eight games, but he still can become a valuable part of Michigan State's rotation next year. Both Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper graduating opens a big vacuum in the rotation that someone has to fill.
McCulloch can be a big part of that. MSU still absolutely needs to get a higher-end center from the transfer portal, but that doesn't mean McCulloch can't take a nice step forward.
Next year would be his third season with the program, but it would likely be the first time he'd be receiving regular playing time. McCulloch was a member of the Spartans' regular rotation during the early part of this past season, but he never logged double-digit minutes in Michigan State's last 20 games.
Incoming four-star freshman Ethan Taylor is also a factor for McCulloch's minutes, but Taylor is likely to be a bit of a project. Taylor redshirting would definitely be a surprise, but even with an anticipated transfer at the spot, I still think you'll see McCulloch play more often next year if he comes back.
Jordan Scott
The freshman, Jordan Scott, already saw his role on the team grow as the season went on. He started out as a key bench piece for the Spartans, but it became increasingly clear over time that Scott was an indispensable part of the rotation.
Eventually, Scott became a starter at shooting guard after inconsistencies at the position persisted into February. Scott started the final 13 contests of the season, and while he slumped towards the end of the year, his potential is still sky-high.
Next year will be a chance to make a big leap for him. He's already a gifted shooter at 6-foot-8, shooting 37% for the season and 42% after Jan. 1 from three-point range. His height also gives him some advantages on the defensive end, where he has already taken on a lot of very difficult assignments.
Trey Fort, one of the other shooting guards, is out of eligibility. Divine Ugochukwu, who also played the two a bit, is sandwiched a little right now between Fears and incoming freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. The addition of Jasiah Jervis also crowds the backcourt, but if Scott continues to develop as a scorer, he can become one of the team's stars in 2026-27.
Kaleb Glenn
It's certainly easier to have a bigger role than a redshirt season, but Kaleb Glenn was supposed to be a big part of the 2025-26 team. He was the team's most heralded transfer portal pickup last offseason, but a knee injury he suffered during the offseason kept him out.
Glenn should finally get his chance to contribute in a big way next season. We'll see how the whole offseason goes, but Glenn could very well be an opening-night starter at the two or three for Michigan State.
MSU missed him in multiple ways last season. The lack of consistent wing shooting was one of the team's weaknesses, but Glenn could only harmlessly sit on the bench after shooting 41% from beyond the arc at Florida Atlantic in 2024-25. If Glenn stayed at FAU for another year before transferring to Michigan State, it would be considered a major addition.
Carr normally played the three for the Spartans this past season, but the four is more of his natural spot, especially with some of the struggles he has shooting. Inserting Glenn into the lineup will make Michigan State more versatile overall and help open up spacing.
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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