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Michigan State Recruiting: Ranking Tom Izzo’s biggest misses

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 28, 2014; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Cliff Alexander (2) claps and reacts against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at HP Field House. Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 82-67. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2014; Kissimmee, FL, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Cliff Alexander (2) claps and reacts against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at HP Field House. Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 82-67. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) reacts after a dunk against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half of the 2015 NCAA Men
Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) reacts after a dunk against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half of the 2015 NCAA Men /

The other half of that package deal, Jahlil Okafor was very close to choosing Michigan State and hoping his point guard best friend, Tyus Jones, would follow suit. However, Duke was where they felt more at home and Tom Izzo suffered another big loss in 2014 — literally and figuratively.

Okafor, a 6-foot-11 center from Chicago, chose the Blue Devils after narrowing his list and leaving out the Spartans just before making a final decision. Just before Michigan State and Duke met in the Final Four in 2015, Okafor had some positive things to say about the Spartans, according to Mick McCabe of the Detroit Free Press.

"It turned out that Jones and Okafor became joined at the hip and chose to go to Duke together, something that Izzo would have been overjoyed with, too, had they picked MSU. It appears that Izzo may have been closer to landing Okafor than he was with Jones. “Definitely,” Okafor said today when asked if he seriously considered MSU. “They were one of the first schools to recruit me and I think they offered me my freshman year of high school. I love Tom Izzo and the coaching staff; they built a really great relationship with my family.”"

All of that love for Izzo and the Spartans still couldn’t land the nation’s No. 1 overall player. He teamed up with Jones at Duke and took down the Spartans in that national semifinal before beating Wisconsin in the national championship.

Okafor left after one season, averaging 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He was selected No. 3 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 NBA Draft and is putting up similar numbers (17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks) in a stellar rookie season.

Next: 4. Caleb Swanigan

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