Why Kur Teng Leaving MSU Makes Zero Sense

Michigan State dominated the Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic on Tuesday evening, 83-66.

Among the several elite performances that propelled MSU to the victory was sophomore guard Kur Teng, who posted a career-high 15 points, nailing three three-pointers.

A sophomore step forward was expected from Teng, and that performance was the first tangible evidence the Spartans had seen of his coming breakthrough.

Michigan State's Kur Teng makes a 3-pointer against San Jose State during the first half on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If this sport were normal, we would have all appreciated Teng’s performance and reveled in the fact that he has the chance to be a serious contributor for a Spartan team that looks primed to make another deep NCAA Tournament run.

But this sport isn’t normal, so the discourse surrounding Teng’s game is why he didn’t enter the transfer portal when he didn’t see the court much during his freshman season.

Really? That’s the discourse?

Really.

The Kur Teng discourse

College basketball reporter Andy Katz asked Teng postgame about why he stuck around and waited for his turn. Teng answered the question perfectly.

"Coach stuck with me, so I gotta stick with him." 🗣️

Kur Teng spoke with @TheAndyKatz after his breakout game for @MSU_Basketball at The Garden. pic.twitter.com/QUbOqsajGY
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) November 19, 2025

“Coach stuck with me, so I had to stick with him,” Teng told Katz. “I’m a loyal guy. Just being a part of this program is a blessing, so I just wanted to stay.”

This is not a knock on Katz for asking the question. It is more of a commentary on the fact that it has become commonplace to ask players why they stayed at a program, even if they don’t get on-field or on-court opportunities immediately.

Before the explosion of NIL usage and the increased number of players entering the transfer portal, freshmen would spend most of their first year on the bench, learning to be collegiate players. Once they were ready, they would be a part of the rotation.

It was typical for players to wait and learn; that’s part of being a college athlete. While that isn’t the case now for most programs, it is still the case at Michigan State.

As Teng said, Izzo believed in him and never wavered from his long-term plans for Teng. And Teng knew that.

Michigan State's Kur Teng shoots a 3-pointer against Bowling Green during the first half on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was no realistic path for Teng to see the court during his freshman season, as Tre Holloman, Jase Richardson, and Jaden Akins blocked his path to playing time. Teng understood, continued working, and waited for his turn.

Hopefully, from here on out, the discourse surrounding the current Spartan team can focus on their play on the court, not on what happened in the offseason.

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