Michigan State Recruiting: 2017 basketball targets to keep an eye on

Feb 1, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard/forward Branden Dawson (22) reacts to a play during the second half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. The Spartans won 76-66. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Yet another in-state target, Brian Bowen — or ‘Tugs’ as he is also known — is high on the Spartans’ list of 2017 targets and I would go as far as to say he’s the No. 1 guy who MSU is going after at the moment.

Tugs is from Saginaw, Mich., so that Draymond Green-connection may help the Spartans in this situation. Being from the same hometown as a NBA champion and recent recipient of a huge $17 million a year contract from the Warriors, you better believe Bowen has taken notes.

Like many other top recruits on this list, Bowen has named a few teams who have been recruiting him the hardest and Michigan State happens to be one of them. Along with the Spartans, Michigan, Duke and N.C. State have also pushed for him and Kentucky has also been in contact.

Bowen could be a class-maker as in the fact that this five-star kid could potentially make or break the Spartans’ 2017 class. It’s almost as if Izzo is banking on the fact that he will lure Bowen to East Lansing, hopefully causing a domino-effect on the rest of the class.

If and when Bowen commits, you can expect the head coach to go after the rest of the class, accordingly.

Bowen is ranked No. 21 in the nation and the fifth-best small forward prospect by 247Sports and he will need to fill out a bit as his lanky 6-foot-6, 180-pound frame will need to become bulky by the time he potentially reaches MSU.

Oh yeah, not to mention Bowen is cousins with former Spartan great, Jason Richardson.

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