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Michigan State Basketball: What’re chances with 5-star C Trayce Jackson-Davis?

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts from the bench during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 4: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts from the bench during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at Breslin Center on January 4, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball made the top schools list of Trayce Jackson-Davis over the weekend, but what are the Spartans chances?

It’s the season of trimmed lists for college basketball recruiting and Michigan State recently made the top 10 for four-star power forward Drew Timme and four-star small forward Terry Armstrong, both members of the 2019 class.

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Michigan State also made the cut for another top target in 2019, five-star center Trayce Jackson-Davis from Greenwood, Ind. He’s ranked the No. 16 recruit in the land as well as the third-best center, according to 247Sports. The current favorites to land the Indiana-native are, well, the home-state Indiana Hoosiers.

Jackson-Davis’ top six included the Spartans and Hoosiers, along with Wake Forest, Iowa, UCLA and Purdue. It’s a Big Ten-dominated top schools list, so it’s almost a sure thing that he’ll remain in the Midwest.

But what are Tom Izzo’s chances to lure Jackson-Davis away from Archie Miller and the resurgent Hoosiers? Right now, they’re not extremely high, but the Spartans are a dark-horse here so I’ll put my estimate at around 10-15 percent.

Indiana is a heavy favorite here because of the local connection but he could become a focal point in the Spartans’ offense — hopefully Izzo will learn from his shortcomings with Jaren Jackson Jr. on the roster. As long as Jackson-Davis stays out of foul trouble, he could follow Jackson Jr.’s footsteps and become the next MSU lottery pick.

Although he stands just 6-foot-8.5, he weighs in at nearly 235 pounds, making him a load for defenders in the post, and he can stretch the floor.

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Jackson-Davis is an athletic big who can take his defender off the dribble and finish strong at the hoop. Moreover, he was Nike EYBL teammates with fellow MSU target Keion Brooks, a five-star small forward. The two could team up in East Lansing and form a deadly duo.

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