What Led Anton Bonke to Choose MSU in Transfer Portal
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HOLT, Mich. -- The tallest player in Michigan State basketball history has had a unique journey to MSU. His career with the Spartans is also getting a unique start.
Standing at 7'2", Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke was the biggest guy in the gym on Tuesday and Thursday night during the annual Moneyball Pro-Am. He's the first Division I basketball player from Vanuatu, a small archipelagic country east of Australia.
What Brought Bonke to MSU
Two things quickly stood out to Bonke in his transfer portal recruitment. Tom Izzo would be his coach, and he'd be joining a team that he thinks can win a national championship.
"Going to an Elite Eight two years ago and a Sweet 16 last year, I think the door is right there," Bonke said after his first Moneyball game with Team Motorcars on Tuesday night. "First in the Big Ten two years ago, second in the Big Ten last year... I think the possibility is just there. They've accomplished it, and they've gotten so close to another one. It would be dumb not to imagine that that is a possibility, and that should be the goal."
Retaining talent is also a priority for Bonke. It's a bit ironic to factor it in as a transfer portal prospect, but landing at a place that doesn't rely on portal talent much is a big plus next to MSU for him.
"I value that a lot, because it tells you that the coach is somebody that people want to be around, that gets them better," Bonke said. "The culture of the team, that's a factor in everything that a transfer is looking for. If a player is willing to stay, there is definitely a reason to be there."
Bonke is the only player the Spartans took from the portal this offseason. Only one of the eight scholarship guys from last season with remaining eligibility left MSU in the portal. That was Divine Ugochukwu (now at LSU), and that seemed to be more about playing time than any quarrels with the coaching staff.
Having Jeremy Fears Jr. as your point guard also helps. The play at the one is always going to impact the person at the five, but that's particularly so in the Spartans' current system.
"I think Jeremy is an incredible point guard," Bonke said. "He's an All-American. He averaged the most assists [per game] in the country, right? So, I mean, I couldn't wish for a better point guard."
Early Impressions of Bonke
The main thing that stood out about Bonke to me is his build. Tuesday was the first time I had gotten the chance to see him play in person, but Bonke looked like he had added some muscle in the months between last season at Charlotte and his arrival in East Lansing.
It's very difficult for a 7'2" athlete to add muscle. They have to consume a pretty large amount of good calories to achieve it because their bodies are already huge, and because life as a college basketball player means a lot of calories are burned.
He doesn't exactly have bodybuilder-level arms, but Bonke isn't a twig out there, either. Calf muscles are one of the first places I'll look at with bigs because of how often they'll get used to jump and explode off of during games. They looked larger than what I remember seeing on tape at Charlotte, too.
During his first Moneyball game, Bonke certainly showed off some of the reasons why Izzo and Michigan State pursued him. He scored 21 points. All nine of his field goals were from inside the arc, and he showed a decent free-throw stroke, going 3-of-3 at the line.
Bonke was paired up with freshman point guard Carlos Medlock Jr. (22 points on Tuesday) on Motorcars. They were outdone by sophomore forward Cam Ward (29 points) and freshman guard Jasiah Jervis (27 points) and Team Faygo in a 78-73 result.
The fluidity at 7'2" is the thing that I like about Bonke the most. He's only been playing basketball since he was about 16 years old, but Bonke still plays decisively and moves out there like someone who has been playing basketball for longer than that.
Players aren't exactly battling for rebounds that much during Moneyball, but the range Bonke can cover with his length is also truly impressive. Michigan State has a lot of rebounding to replace with Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper leaving. Bringing in Bonke, who averaged 8.3 rebounds per game last year, will help with that.
Interview with Bonke
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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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