Michigan State Basketball: Predicting 2018-19 starting lineup

Yes, I’m predicting a Nick Ward return to the green and white. No, I don’t think there’s even the slightest possibility of the soon-to-be junior big man transferring. Why would he want to sit a year just because he and Tom Izzo sometimes go at it? There have been plenty of players who have felt the wrath of Izzo over the years and he’s admitted it’s because he sees greatness in those guys and they’re eventually thankful.

Ward is the player who Izzo sees as a potentially great post presence, but he just needs to remain level-headed and keep his emotions in check. He has the ability to be a dominant big, but sometimes he disappears when the team needs him most.

Moreover, he needs to learn how to combat the double-teams that he will inevitably see game in and game out. Instead of trying to muscle his way through traffic and draw a foul (which usually doesn’t happen for some reason), he should immediately pass out and get better position to get the ball right back for a one-on-one situation.

Coming back for at least one more year is going to benefit the 6-foot-8 power forward and maybe he’ll even develop a nice mid-range jumper. If he were able to do that, he’d have NBA scouts drooling over his potential.