Why Jordan Scott Is Breakout Candidate Again for MSU Hoops
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Jordan Scott is going to be a big part of the equation for Michigan State this season.
He was one of the pleasant surprises for the Spartans last season. Scott earned a starting role during the tail end of the season. His counting stats of 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game didn't tell the full story of how effective Scott was, given his great three-point shot, ability to defend positions 1-4, and high motor. There are signs that Scott could be even better this coming year.
Scott's Outside Shooting
Scott should be one of MSU's best perimeter shooters this year. His three-point percentage of 37.0% as a freshman was good, not great, but some of that is weighed down by an 0-for-9 and 1-for-13 start to his career. Take out those first 13 three-point shots that could be chalked up to some early-career nerves, and Scott shot 41.4% from behind the arc the rest of the season. He also made 43.5% of his threes during Big Ten regular-season competition.
Expecting Scott to shoot comfortably into the 40s would be a high bar, but it's very possible. One thing that has piqued my interest while watching the Moneyball Pro-Am is that Scott has been shooting plenty of deep threes, at least a step or two behind the three-point line. Those really deep, NBA-range shots seem to be a work in progress, but the season is still a few months away, and working on new aspects of one's game in a live atmosphere is largely what Moneyball is for.
It could also just be a comfort thing. Once a player feels they have the ability to knock down that 30-footer, that 22-foot, 1.75-inch college line just seems that much easier.
Still, if defenses end up having to respect Scott's range from a step or two behind the line, that only helps Michigan State's spacing even more. This could, for example, help Jeremy Fears Jr. get into the lane a little more easily, leading to some alley-oops or kickouts to other open shooters. A little thing like that can have a real effect on everyone else on the floor.
Top-Tier Defense
Perhaps the biggest thing Scott gave MSU was the ability to be flexible on defense. Scott can guard point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and even some smaller power forwards. If he switches onto an opposing guard after a ball screen, there isn't any sort of mismatch or scramble that has to result from it.
Scott was one of the X-factors in the Spartans' win over Illinois last season. He was the primary defender of star player Keaton Wagler and held him to a 2-for-16 (12.5%) night from the field. It was the lowest field-goal percentage for Wagler in his first and only college season, which reached the Final Four and earned him the fifth-overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Clippers.
The other important part was that Scott was often able to alleviate a lot of pressure from Fears towards the back end of the season. Fears' value at that point was immeasurable. If he kept getting assigned to the other team's point guard and/or primary ball-handler, he was at risk of getting into foul trouble, which Michigan State just couldn't afford.
If Scott were to obtain a more permanent, season-long starting role, that would become a more obvious thing on the national landscape. The fact that a 6'8" wing can guard opposing point guards is one of the reasons I maintain that Scott's NBA ceiling is probably only second to Coen Carr's on the Spartans' roster. That's a pretty rare trait at any level, and it's something pro scouts will eventually take serious notice of, whether it be this season or some other time.
Scott's high motor is still a big part of who he is as a player. His putting himself on the deck for a loose ball is a common sight. He just made things happen when he played, especially as he gained comfort as the season went on, and good things followed.
He and Cam Ward are both alike in many ways. They're both in the same recruiting class, from the DMV area, and both play with admirable effort. The two of them are very close off the court as well, so that doesn't come off as too much of a surprise. More importantly, though, the two of them feel like pretty prototypical "Tom Izzo" players. If Scott can just enhance his own strengths a little bit, he'll be a huge part of a potentially great team.
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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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