Way-Too-Early 2026-27 Projected Starting Five for MSU
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There are plenty of moving parts with Michigan State right now, even right after the end of a season.
The Spartans fell to UConn in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. Tom Izzo said after the game that he would be "going to the portal right away." By that, Izzo means keeping his current roster together before worrying about outside help. Who knows what it'll be come November, but let's take a stab at what the Spartans' starting five might look like right now.
PG: Jeremy Fears Jr. (R-Jr.)
Still running the point should be Jeremy Fears Jr., who will be a redshirt junior next season. Fears was the heart and soul of the Spartans this past season, averaging 15.2 points and an NCAA-leading 9.4 assists per game en route to an All-American season (second- or third-team, depending on where you look).
Fears should be the very first person Izzo needs to ensure comes back next year. The NIL price tag is sure to be high, but Fears is too valuable an asset to even consider letting go.
SG: Jordan Scott (So.)
Sticking to it at the two is Jordan Scott. The Spartans shuffled through a couple of different options this past season, and Scott emerged as the option with the highest ceiling.
Scott struggled a bit towards the end of his freshman year, but I don't think rising junior Kur Teng or incoming freshman Jasiah Jervis will beat Scott out for the starting role. His length at 6-foot-8 bolsters the Spartans' backcourt a lot defensively, and his 42.0% three-point shooting since Jan. 1 makes him an offensive weapon.
SF: Kaleb Glenn (R-Jr.)
The day Kaleb Glenn touches the court for Michigan State will be a long-awaited one. Glenn was supposed to be MSU's top incoming transfer on the 2025-26 roster after he transferred from Florida Atlantic, but a knee injury he suffered during the summer sidelined him for the whole season.
Glenn fits in well at the three, standing at 6-foot-7. He's athletic enough to take it to the cup, but he also shot it really well during his season at FAU, making 41.0% of his threes.
PF: Coen Carr (Sr.)
Coen Carr didn't play power forward much this past season, but the roster as currently constructed might make him start at that spot next year. Carr kind of naturally played the three this year with MSU boasting a double-big starting lineup with Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, but both of those guys are gone.
This past season was a nice step forward for Carr, as he averaged 12.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Carr will continue to try to become more versatile entering his final season, with the biggest hope being that his three-point shot starts dropping more often.
C: Someone From Portal
Your guess is probably as good as mine here. Kohler and Cooper are both off, and it would be a little surprising to me if Michigan State stayed internal here. Jesse McCulloch isn't ready for a starting role, and I doubt Izzo will just hand it to incoming freshman Ethan Taylor. Izzo hasn't started a freshman in a season opener since Max Christie in 2022.
As for who precisely that may be, any guess would be a shot in the dark. The portal isn't even open yet, and Izzo and the staff probably haven't had enough time to even gauge the options there. Whoever it ends up being, I just think it'll be someone not currently on the roster.
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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