Spartans whiff on top portal targets, but is the frontcourt truly barren? Discover Michigan State's hidden depth amidst the transfer frenzy.
It’s no secret the Spartans have their eyes set on some of the top centers in the transfer portal. Unfortunately, if you’ve been more distracted by getting your lawn ready for the warm months instead of constantly refreshing your phone for portal updates, you may have missed that Michigan State has come up short time and time again.
Currently, MSU is doing its best to replace Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, the two senior big men who helped lead the team to one of the top rebounding units in college basketball. Michigan State’s identity was built on the backbone of those two bigs.
The Spartans were heavily favored—and widely predicted—to land Alabama big man Aiden Sherrell, a talented young player who had been heavily recruited by Tom Izzo and showcased his abilities in invitationals hosted by the Michigan State head coach himself.
Sherrell felt as close to a lock for East Lansing as you’ll ever see. Yet, in an age where money rules the world—even for young collegiate athletes—he ultimately chose Indiana over Michigan State. Instead of adding the 6-foot-10 sophomore, the Spartans are now back to the drawing board, hoping to land a replacement from the portal.
Indiana, meanwhile, took a “Los Angeles Dodgers” approach this offseason, refusing to settle for just one addition. The Hoosiers opened the checkbook and also landed 7-foot-2, 22-year-old Turkish center Samet Yigitoglu.
Yigitoglu was also on Michigan State’s radar—as are most big men in the portal this year. While it’s unclear how aggressively Izzo pursued him, he was a name many fans were excited to see linked to MSU. After averaging 10.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game at SMU, he could have been a strong addition and a natural fit to fill the Carson Cooper role.
Just imagine if Michigan State had landed Sherrell to replace Kohler and Yigitoglu to replace Cooper. It would have felt like a dream scenario in East Lansing. Instead, both players passed on MSU and landed at Indiana, instantly making the Hoosiers one of the teams most likely to make a major jump in the Big Ten.
Reading this, you might assume the Spartans have no big men worth mentioning—and that desperation is driving their portal pursuits. But that’s far from the truth.
In today’s game—fueled by video game logic and a growing lack of patience among fans—it can feel like Michigan State not only lacks big men, but might never have one again. That simply isn’t the case. Even without portal additions, the Spartans are still loaded in the frontcourt with sophomores Jesse McCulloch and Cam Ward, along with FAU transfer Kaleb Glenn (who missed last season due to injury) and incoming five-star, 7-foot-1 center Ethan Taylor.
So why are some fans so quick to criticize Izzo for missing on top portal bigs?
A big part of it comes from watching in-state rival Michigan build a roster through the portal and reach the national championship with five transfer starters. In today’s sports culture, many fans have grown accustomed to the idea that you can simply “buy” a winning team—largely influenced by how easy it is to do just that in video games.
In those games, you simulate a season, hit the offseason, spend unlimited resources, and build a champion. Then reality hits, and fans wonder, “Why can’t my team do the same?”
Yes, Michigan just pulled it off. And yes, other teams will follow. But for every one Michigan, there are dozens of programs that spend heavily through NIL and still fall short.
Take Texas, for example. The Longhorns reportedly spent more than anyone last season, yet still entered the tournament as a six seed. They won a couple of games and pulled off some upsets, but that’s not the standard Michigan State fans expect. They want Final Fours—and more. Spending big doesn’t guarantee success, even if that’s a tough pill to swallow for some.
The reality is, Michigan State already has a strong frontcourt, even if it lacks experience. That, more than anything, is why Izzo remains active in the portal—looking to add depth without overpaying. However, that approach doesn’t always sit well with fans, especially when it’s not their money being spent.
And to be clear, MSU isn’t out of the portal race by any means.
The Spartans are set to host Charlotte center Anthony Bonke, who will visit Michigan State after a stop in Kansas. He’s also taking visits to Cincinnati, NC State, South Carolina, and Clemson, while considering additional offers from Arkansas, TCU, USC, and Gonzaga.
Bonke averaged 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, solid numbers on paper. Still, many fans calling for his addition likely haven’t actually watched him play. He’s become more of a reactionary target—someone to rally around after missing out on Sherrell and Yigitoglu.
The truth? Bonke is a good player, but not a great one—at least not yet. He has areas in his game that need development, and it’s far from guaranteed he would start over the current options on Michigan State’s roster, including freshman Ethan Taylor.
That’s not to say Izzo shouldn’t pursue him. Rather, it’s a reminder that Bonke shouldn’t be viewed as a savior. If he joins the Spartans, he’d be a valuable competitor who raises the level of the team—but not necessarily the missing piece.
Some fans may read all of this and feel ready to wave the white flag. But instead of giving up, it might be time to trust the man who built Michigan State into a national power and has sustained that success for more than 30 years.
Because if history tells us anything, it’s that betting against Tom Izzo usually doesn’t end well.