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Michigan State Basketball: Predicting starting five, bench for 2019-20 season

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Joshua Langford #1, Cassius Winston #5, Kenny Goins #25, Xavier Tilman #23, and Kyle Ahrens #0 of the Michigan State Spartans walk on the the court after a timeout during a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 03: Joshua Langford #1, Cassius Winston #5, Kenny Goins #25, Xavier Tilman #23, and Kyle Ahrens #0 of the Michigan State Spartans walk on the the court after a timeout during a game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Gabe Brown #13 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a three point basket against the LSU Tigers during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Gabe Brown #13 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a three point basket against the LSU Tigers during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Bench

The bench for next season has an opportunity to be the deepest in years for Michigan State and Tom Izzo — and yes, that includes the 2017-18 season.

The Spartans should return everyone from a five-man freshman class as well as bring in three talented recruits in 2019. Add in a key role player like Kyle Ahrens and you have a bench ready to explode on both sides of the ball.

I’m going to predict the order these guys come off the bench, which should also order them by minutes played from most to least.

The senior has earned the right to be first off the bench and how much he plays depends on how healthy he actually is. Kyle Ahrens has the ability to knock down perimeter shots and drive to the lane, when he’s 100 percent, so let’s assume an entire offseason can get him there.

Gabe Brown’s role increased in the NCAA Tournament out of necessity and because the freshman wing player was faring that well on the offensive side of the ball. His defense could use some work, but when he’s given the green light, Brown can absolutely light up the scoreboard. He scored 15 in a win over LSU in the Sweet 16 and that’s just a glimpse into what he can do. Could he be the Big Ten’s best sixth man next year?

The intrigue level surrounding Rocket Watts is immense. The incoming freshman, and borderline five-star, has caught everyone’s attention with his ability to score and create for himself and others. He’s listed as a combo guard so if Foster Loyer isn’t quite ‘there’ yet, he could handle point guard duties. Don’t expect him to average 10-15 points per game as a freshman, but he will have those games where he flashes scoring dominance and a preview into the future.

Foster Loyer maybe has the most to prove of anyone this offseason and it’s because Tom Izzo needs a backup point guard he can rely on. He didn’t see much time in the NCAA Tournament because he just didn’t have the trust of his head coach and if he can add some muscle and work on his ball handling and defense, he could be a key figure off the bench. He can shoot, we all know that, but he just needs the confidence to put it all together.

Am I being too optimistic about Marcus Bingham Jr.’s growth? Possibly, but this kid is a future NBA player if he puts in the work to add some healthy weight and get stronger. He has the athleticism, the shooting touch and the length to cause major problems for opponents. Bingham Jr. absolutely has what it takes to be a star for Michigan State, but maybe not until 2020-21.

Averaging just 5.8 minutes per game last season, Thomas Kithier is going to see that increase and I truly believe he has what it takes to be the next Matt Costello. He’s going to be an important post player for the green and white next season as we will catch glimpses into his future with a couple of breakout games here and there. He just needs to add some muscle.

It’s hard to imagine Malik Hall as the 12th man, but the Spartans have so many wings returning that he’s going to have a smaller role than he’d expect. The depth on the wing is immense, but Hall can grow the way that Aaron Henry did throughout the year and I think this kid is a future pro, so I wouldn’t expect him to stay this far down the bench for long.

And if you’re looking for Julius Marble, with the depth the Spartans have, I see him redshirting and beginning his eligibility in 2020-21. This team could be scary next year.

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