Michigan State continues to compete for national titles under head coach Tom Izzo.
The Spartans reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament, having defeated Ole Miss, New Mexico and Bryant. They ultimately suffered a loss to Auburn after entering the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed and dominating the Big Ten throughout the season.
As Izzo and the staff rebuild their roster for another deep March Madness run, they received a major addition from the transfer portal. According to Joe Tipton, former Samford guard Trey Fort has committed to Michigan State.
This past season at Samford, Fort averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Fort committed to Michigan State as one of the top scorers available in the transfer portal.
His stop at Michigan State will be Fort’s fourth school in four years. Before playing one season at Samford, Fort spent one season at Mississippi State and one season at UT Martin
Fort helps fill the void of a couple of departing players from Michigan State, including star freshman Jase Richardson and Tre Holloman.
This past season with the Spartans, Holloman averaged 9.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. After entering the transfer portal, leaving Izzo and his teammates after three years with the program, Holloman committed to NC State.
Richardson is heading to the 2025 NBA Draft. During his freshman season at Michigan State, the former blue-chip recruit averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
Could it stand to be a little shorter? Sure. Do the referees need to be more judicious with when they intervene? I’d argue they do. But the real problem the NBA faces is, in my opinion, a PR one. Its loudest voices should spend less time pearl-clutching and more time celebrating. Claire de Lune
Star players sit, games blur together and offense is unchecked. I don’t know if I’d call it a crisis, but put it this way: Disney, NBC and Amazon Prime Video did not pay $76bn for this product. They’re betting that it will be fixed. The answer might be structural: tweak the rules to restore physicality. If defense matters again, maybe the games will too. Bryan Armen Graham
Well, if you count rights-holding networks badmouthing the product, the league blacking out local games and underselling on-court storylines as a crisis – then yes. If you count the in-season tournament, load management player protocols and the endless GOAT debates as a crisis – then also yes. I’m not suggesting fewer games (82 always felt right); I’m suggesting everyone take them more seriously. Talking to you, Adam Silver. Andrew Lawrence
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