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Michigan State Basketball: 5-star Vernon Carey Jr. close to decision

By Connor Muldowney

SPRINGFIELD, MA - JANUARY 15: Vernon Carey Jr. of University School poses for a portrait during the 2018 Spalding HoopHall Classic at Blake Arena at Springfield College on January 15, 2018 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
SPRINGFIELD, MA - JANUARY 15: Vernon Carey Jr. of University School poses for a portrait during the 2018 Spalding HoopHall Classic at Blake Arena at Springfield College on January 15, 2018 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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After a visit to East Lansing this past weekend, five-star big man Vernon Carey Jr. is one step closer to choosing between Michigan State basketball and others.

Vernon Carey Jr. is one of those once-in-a-decade type of recruits for Tom Izzo. Not often is he considered a favorite for the No. 1 recruit in the country (outside of Jabari Parker and Josh Jackson), but this recruitment just feels different.

The five-star center from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., just finished up his second official visit to Michigan State and there were rumors swirling that the Spartans were up there with Duke as the favorites to land the blue-chipper.

https://twitter.com/vernoncarey22/status/1061761269957582849

On Monday, Adam Zagoria reported that Carey Jr. is planning to commit soon and sign later. According to Zagoria, Carey Jr. is planning to commit “in the next few weeks” and sign late, per his father.

Michigan State was his last visit after taking trips to North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky and Miami but it seems like the Spartans and Blue Devils are vying for positioning as both are serious contenders and leaders in his recruitment. Izzo has done a fantastic job in this recruitment and this could end up being his biggest victory since Miles Bridges.

Could the Spartans really land Carey Jr.? It seems highly possible, even with Isaiah Stewart and Trayce Jackson-Davis on the radar still. The Spartans could take two more players, especially if Nick Ward is leaning toward going pro, and finishing the class with Stewart and and Carey Jr. would be more than ideal.

Next. MSU basketball: 10 bold predictions for 2018-19. dark

Izzo could be on the verge of his best class since taking over at Michigan State in 1995, and that’s saying a lot. Carey Jr. could make him a happy man sooner rather than later.

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