Spartan Avenue
Fansided

Michigan State Basketball: All-time Tom Izzo era “what if” team

By Connor Muldowney

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 27: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Chris Allen #3 during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional semifinals of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 27, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 27: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Chris Allen #3 during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional semifinals of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 27, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 30: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans in action against Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during a college basketball game at the Rutgers Athletic Center on November 30, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan State defeated Rutgers 78-67. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images,)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 30: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans in action against Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during a college basketball game at the Rutgers Athletic Center on November 30, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan State defeated Rutgers 78-67. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images,) /

Josh Langford gets an honorable mention here because he could technically still come back for his senior year with Michigan State. That decision has yet to be made, so for now he’s going to remain as one of the biggest “what ifs” in program history.

Part of Michigan State’s elite 2016 recruiting class, Langford came in as a five-star recruit from Alabama. He joined Miles Bridges as the other five-star as well as Cassius Winston and Nick Ward.

It turned out, he was one heck of a player.

As a freshman, he averaged just 6.9 points per game, but he shot about 50 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep. His role only increased during his sophomore year when he averaged 11.7 points and shot over 40 percent from deep again. As a junior, he was supposed to take off, and he did — for a couple of months.

Langford averaged a career-best 15.0 points per game along with 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game and shot 40 percent from deep and 43 percent from the floor, but then he suffered a foot injury that would keep him out “indefinitely”. Little did MSU fans know, indefinitely would end up meaning the rest of the season and the entire 2019-20 campaign as well.

If he returns, he can prove that he’s not just a “what if” and more of a feel-good story.

Home/Spartans Basketball