Is Michigan State the Team to Beat for This Prospect?

Is it safe to say the Michigan State Spartans are the team to beat for the talented prospect?
Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI

The Michigan State Spartans have been looking to land some of the best of the best in the 2026 recruiting cycle when it comes to the basketball scene. They come off a solid 2025 cycle, having landed two prospects in Cam Ward and Jordan Scott who can make an early impact.

Scott was one of the better wings in the class and was one of the best prospects from the state of Virginia, where he played at South Lakes High School in Reston. His roommate Ward is a power forward from Maryland who will be looking to make an impact this season.

The success for the 2025 class has left the Spartans and their fans hopeful for the remainder of the 2026 cycle, as they have already landed one commitment early on. That commitment came from Carlos Medlock Jr. of Link Academy High School in Missouri. Medlock is a four-star point guard who initially played for Wayne Memorial in Michigan before transferring out this offseason.

Since his commitment, Michigan State has continued to trend in the right direction, being named a finalist for multiple prospects who have scheduled official visits with the program.

Is Michigan State the Team to Beat for Quinn Costello?

Class of 2026 four-star power forward Quinn Costello is one of those targets. The Spartans have been one of the better teams in his recruitment thus far, as he has visited them unofficially, and they are the only team that has scheduled an official visit with so far. There are multiple teams looking to land Costello, like the Spartans' biggest rivals, the Michigan Wolverines.

Other teams in the running for Costello include Texas, North Carolina, Purdue and Minnesota.

Costello hails from Massachusetts and is the highest-ranked player in the state, per 247Sports, which also has him ranked the No. 11 power forward in his class and the No. 70 overall recruit in the class. The Spartans can only hope for things to keep going their way, as right now it seems as if they are the team to beat in Costello's recruitment.

Spartan
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans mascot “Sparty” performs in the first half against the Bryant University Bulldogs during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.