Son of MSU Legend Cleaves Gets Elite Recruiting Ranking

The son of Michigan State legend Mateen Cleaves is popping up on radars.

Orchard Lake St. Mary's freshman guard Mateen Cleaves Jr. defends East Lansing's Cam Hutson during the second quarter in the Division 1 state semifinal on March 14, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the best players in Michigan State history's son should end up on the Spartans' radar soon enough.

ESPN recently announced its SCNext rankings for the 2027, '28, and '29 classes. The middle of those years is the focus here. That's because class of 2028 shooting guard Mateen Cleaves Jr. got a pretty interesting mark.

Cleaves' Ranking

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s freshman guard Mateen Cleaves Jr. shoots the ball against Birmingham Brother Rice’s Jacob Lamb during the Detroit Catholic League semifinals at Marian High School in Bloomfield Twp., Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The site has him all the way up at 19th overall in the class of 2028, putting him third among shooting guards and first among those from the state of Michigan. Cleaves now plays for Dream City Christian in Glendale, Ariz., though.

Cleaves' only listed offer is from Rutgers, interestingly enough. That list will grow eventually, though. Most programs are scouting and worried about the class of 2027 right now. MSU has only publicly offered one prospect in the class of 2027, according to 247Sports. There have been no offers whatsoever for the class of '28.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo gives instructions to his team during a game against Rutgers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

You'd have to think that as long as Tom Izzo is the head coach of the Spartans, this would be an easy target for him. Mateen Cleaves is one of the people who delivered him his only National Championship, after all, and his son is performing at a high enough level that it wouldn't be a case of nepotism.

Cleaves averaged 7.8 points per game in his first year with Dream City Christian at the EYBL. Each of the three players averaging more points than him is either a four- or five-star recruit in the '26 and '27 classes. As his role increases there, Cleaves has the chance to get closer to 5-star status himself.

Cleaves and MSU

Michigan State men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo, center, former MSU players Mateen Cleaves, left, and Jason Richardson greet Izzo during the Michigan State Madness event on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Something that could help with this potential recruitment is that seeing Cleaves (first-generation) around East Lansing is not rare. One of the ways Izzo loves to compliment current All-American point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (fresh off his draft decision) is to compare him to Cleaves.

Cleaves won his title in his fourth year with the program. Fears is entering that fourth season now, too. The '26-27 roster isn't loaded enough to consider MSU to be a favorite, but the Spartans are certainly among the teams in the early discussion.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo shakes the hand of an Ohio State assistant before a game at the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Cleaves was either a First or Second Team All-American three times in his college career, after all. He averaged 12.5 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game during his time at Michigan State, laying the foundation that has endured for a literal generation under Izzo.