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Michigan State Basketball: Constructing ideal Tom Izzo era NCAA Tournament team

By Connor Muldowney

DETROIT - APRIL 06: Kalin Lucas #1 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
DETROIT - APRIL 06: Kalin Lucas #1 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship game at Ford Field on April 6, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – MARCH 27: Denzel Valentine #45 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 62 to 58 during the East Regional Semifinal of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Carrier Dome on March 27, 2015 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – MARCH 27: Denzel Valentine #45 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 62 to 58 during the East Regional Semifinal of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Carrier Dome on March 27, 2015 in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guard: Denzel Valentine (2012-16)

This was another tough one to pick, but it’s awfully difficult to pick against a runner-up for national player of the year and Big Ten Player of the Year winner. Denzel Valentine did a little bit of everything for the Spartans in his four years and played multiple positions from point guard to small forward.

Valentine was the guard version of Draymond Green and he, too, could record triple-doubles at the collegiate level. He improved drastically from his freshman to senior year, going from a lightly-used role player to a 20.5 points per game scorer and conference player of the year.

Although his college career ended on the sourest of notes, losing to Middle Tennessee in a shocking upset, he deserves credit for helping lead the Spartans to the Final Four during his junior season.

Valentine was an excellent shooter, making 50 percent of his threes as a senior, and he averaged 7.8 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game. Add him into the lineup and you’d see an offense clicking unlike any other.

Gary Harris, Shannon Brown, Durrell Summers and Jason Richardson all deserve some recognition as honorable mentions here, too.

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