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Michigan State Basketball: Can Spartans land 5-star C Isaiah Stewart?

By Connor Muldowney

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 18: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 18, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Landing five-star big man Isaiah Stewart in the 2019 recruiting class would be a huge move for Michigan State, but can it happen realistically?

Tom Izzo seemed to lose luster with upcoming blue-chip recruits who play in the post following his mishandling of the Spartans’ loss to Syracuse in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. He played Ben Carter over Jaren Jackson Jr., a potential top-five pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

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That decision still echoes throughout the fan base and is a sore subject for those who are trying to forget that horrid loss in what turned out to be Jackson Jr.’s final game at Michigan State.

Although Jackson Jr. has decided to leave Michigan State after his freshman season, he may be trying to help the Spartans land a former teammate of his in five-star center Isaiah Stewart, the No. 14 player in the 2019 class, according to 247Sports.

Jackson Jr. had a playful jab at both Stewart and Michigan State on Twitter last week as he questioned a quote from the five-star prospect from 2019 where he said Izzo believes he’d be the perfect fit with the Spartans. Many fans panicked, thinking Jackson Jr. was knocking Izzo’s coaching style, but the future lottery pick took to Twitter to put out the fire and assure them it was just a playful joke with no ill intentions.

If Jackson Jr. can get in Stewart’s ear about what he liked and didn’t like about both Michigan State and Izzo, it could very well help the Spartans’ chances.

Izzo has been in to see Stewart many times and has developed a strong relationship with the kid. The two talk all the time and the last visit was on Saturday as Izzo attended one of Stewart’s games. If he can continue to make the five-star prospect his top big man priority in 2019, he could find himself breaking into his top list.

Right now, Duke seems to be the team to beat for the La Lumiere star, but the Spartans are making a strong push.

The selling point could be the likelihood that he’d be one of just a few big men on the roster when he gets to campus, depending on if Nick Ward stays until his senior year, but right now I’d say this is Duke’s race to lose.

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Izzo isn’t giving up, though, and he may try to get Jackson Jr. to talk to the elite big man from Rochester, N.Y. The 6-8, 243-pound center would look good in the green and white next to Xavier Tillman and/or Ward. I’d say Michigan State’s current chances to land him are about 15 percent.

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