Should Tom Izzo Be More Aggressive in the Transfer Portal?

Is Tom Izzo underutilizing the transfer portal?

To some, asking that question is like asking if cannibalism should be legal.

Izzo and Michigan State Spartans fans pride themselves on doing things the “right way” — bringing in high school recruits and molding them into NBA players, exceptional men, and unbelievable college basketball players.

The Spartans have a long list of players who fit that mold, including — but certainly not limited to — two guys who just wrapped up their careers at MSU: Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper.

We all saw the viral graphic making the rounds that listed all Sweet 16 tournament teams’ top five players by minutes played and where they started their college careers. At first glance, it was obvious that nearly every team now uses the transfer portal like free agency in professional sports.

Every team, that is, except one.

Michigan State stood out immediately.

The Spartans had four players who started their careers at MSU and stayed there, along with one freshman. They were the only team among those 16 to have that kind of makeup. And for the most part, that was met with appreciation from Spartan fans — and even some outsiders.

“They’re doing it the right way,” people said.

Michigan fans, talking heads, and especially Spartan fans all seemed impressed by what Izzo continues to do. There were plenty of water-cooler conversations about the value of building a college team like this, even in the middle of the sport’s most chaotic era. That was especially true when your archrival has become known for doing the complete opposite, with none of its top five minute-getters starting their careers there.

So the question was brought up to me: How much do you actually like that Michigan State grows its own talent?

And honestly, I had to think about it.

At first? I love it.

As close as college sports are getting to the professional model, there’s still something awesome about “drafting” your own team, developing those players, and winning with them. There’s something that just feels more rewarding about it.

But just like in professional sports, there came a point when every team had to adjust once free agency became part of the game.

You have to adapt — or get left behind.

So do I like that MSU recruits and builds from within? Of course. It makes following the team more enjoyable. It creates continuity. It gives fans familiar faces to invest in year after year.

But do I like missing the Final Four for five straight seasons?

I do not.

And I’m pretty sure Izzo doesn’t either.

Now I’ll get to all the points people are probably already shouting at their spouse, their group chat, or the random bar patron sitting next to them while reading this.

Or, more likely, their shower curtain — because let’s be honest, everybody reads online articles on the toilet these days.

Yes, the Spartans have the No. 2 recruiting class coming in next season, and it’s loaded with star power. Joining the mix are guards Carlos Medlock Jr. and Jasiah Jervis, forward Julius Avent, and five-star, 7-foot-1 center Ethan Taylor. That group alone should help absorb a lot of the minutes left behind by Kohler and Cooper.

Yes, Michigan does it differently.

And yes, we hate it because they do it.

They do it the wrong way. We do it the right way.

That’s the argument, anyway.

But since the transfer portal era really took hold in October 2018, the Spartans have made the Final Four just one time — in 2019. Since then, they’ve made the Sweet 16 twice.

That used to be the standard at Michigan State.

There was a time when it almost felt like a rite of passage: if you stayed four years at MSU, you were probably going to reach a Final Four. It felt carved in stone because of the work, the development, and the identity of the program.

Now?

That feels more like a thing of the past.

And honestly, these days, just making the Sweet 16 almost feels like the ceiling.

So the real question becomes this:

Is Michigan State trusting its own development too much while not being aggressive enough in upgrading through the portal?

The transfer portal opens in just over a week — April 7 — and closes on April 21.

To be fair, the Spartans haven’t ignored it completely.

They added Divine Ugochukwu, who likely would’ve played meaningful minutes down the stretch if he hadn’t gotten injured. They also brought in Trey Fort, who provided a few needed buckets but never really became what many had hoped he would.

And that’s where the curiosity comes in.

Could the Spartans stand to be more aggressive?

And if they were, would it set this team up for more immediate success?

That’s really what this comes down to.

Because no one is asking Michigan State to become a full-blown portal mercenary. No one is asking Izzo to throw away the culture, the development, or the identity that made the program what it is.

But there’s a difference between abandoning your philosophy and adjusting it.

And in today’s college basketball world, adjusting might be necessary.

I’m not here to give the final answer to the question at hand — that’s a job for the reader.

But if you’ve made it this far, then you can probably see both sides.

The tradition is admirable.

The continuity is fun.

The culture still matters.

But the question remains:

Should Tom Izzo be more aggressive in the transfer portal?