Why MSU's Wojcik Deserves Credit for Latest Performance
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Lots of opinions have been shared about Denham Wojcik this season. Not many have been positive.
The son of top Michigan State assistant Doug Wojcik, the fanbase, relatively justifiably, furrowed its collective eyebrow once Denham started becoming a true member of the Spartans' regular group of players who saw serious playing time every game. Nepotism is never a great thing in the sports realm, but that's not why Wojcik is playing.
"He's not here because of his dad," head coach Tom Izzo said after MSU's 80-63 win over Washington. "He's really not. It had nothing to do with it, I swear to God. He doesn't play because of his dad."
Really, it stems back to Michigan State's inconsistencies at the two-guard position. Divine Ugochukwu has turned out to be MSU's best option at that spot, but he was initially brought in to be the backup point guard. With Jeremy Fears Jr. and Ugochukwu now often playing at the same time, somebody else has to be the primary ball-handler for shorter spurts while they rest. That person is Wojcik.
More on Wojcik, His Role
Wojcik's role is truly important for Michigan State's future success. Fears can't go out there and play 40 minutes every single game. There's probably going to be a stretch during an NCAA Tournament game this season where Fears has to go to the bench, and Wojcik has to run the offense for a couple of minutes.
That's a part of the grander perspective of why Wojcik is playing more and more. The goal isn't to turn Wojcik into Fears here. He just needs to be ready for that moment when the stakes are the highest. Saturday's game against Washington was a step forward in that preparation.
"He brings a stability to me," Izzo said. "I know he can guard anybody. I know what he can do. He can run a team, and he's getting better. I mean, he's gotten a lot better. His shooting's gotten better. He's gotten a lot better, and he made some really good plays [against the Huskies], but he just brings some energy.
"You always look for the superstars. Sometimes, superstars come in different ways and different packages."
"Superstar" would certainly be an adjective most should be hesitant to use, but there's no doubt Wojcik did his job against UW on Saturday. The 11 minutes he played were the most for him this season against a power conference opponent, and they were solid minutes.
Wojcik maintained the status quo while Fears sat. That's the exact type of thing Michigan State and Izzo want from him. The Spartans outscored the Huskies by three points during Wojcik's minutes.
The statline for Wojcik isn't exactly impressive, two points and two assists, but there are some things from his time on the court that don't necessarily pop out on the box score. For one, Wojcik's points came on a pretty impressive reverse layup. He drew an offensive foul once and seemed to do better defensively.
The Spartans' starting point guard ended up only playing 29 minutes, which was the second-fewest number for him against a major opponent. It's a little counterintuitive, but Fears not playing many minutes is a good sign. He's played 35+ minutes four times this campaign, and MSU is 2-2 in those games. Those two victories were the Arkansas game that went down to the wire, and the game against North Carolina, where Fears had the hot hand offensively, scoring 19 points.
Fears is also Michigan State's most valuable asset. The Spartans need him to try and keep him healthy once the homestretch of the regular season and then the postseason arrive. If Wojcik continues to be somebody who can protect a lead of two or three possessions for MSU while Fears rests, that's a huge development.
There's always a bit of a "hold your breath" period when Fears gets subbed off, because of how valuable he is, offensively and defensively. MSU is proving that it can manage without him for a semi-significant stretch while playing a Quad 1 road game on the West Coast. One doesn't have to be necessarily the biggest fan of Wojcik, but it's a simple reality that Wojcik needs to play. Any success for him should be cheered on by Spartan fans.
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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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