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

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

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) /

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(L-R) Terence Morris, Erazem Lorbek and Ricky Rubio of Barcelona react after they lost against Panathinaikos Athens during basketball playoffs game 4, at the Olympic Hall in Athens on March 31, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Milos Bicanski (Photo credit should read MILOS BICANSKI/AFP via Getty Images) /

A lot of people don’t remember Erazem Lorbek all that much and that’s because he spent just one season in East Lansing and decided he was ready to make the leap.

Unlike Zach Randolph, Lorbek’s one-and-done mindset didn’t pay off in the NBA. He was selected in the second round, No. 46 overall, by the Indiana Pacers. He never played a single game in the NBA, however, and his career was pushed overseas as he played for seven teams from 2003-18.

While he did have some success in Europe, he never lived up to his true potential at Michigan State. He was a EuroLeague champ, Spanish League champ, Italian League champ and even spent some time in Russia as a champion. He knew how to win overseas and averaged 9.3 points and 4.2 rebounds over his career.

But one season in East Lansing didn’t seem like enough. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds during that freshman season for Tom Izzo. He was a solid post presence, shooting 53 percent from the floor and 46 percent from deep.

Would he have become a star if he stayed for more than one season?

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