Michigan State Basketball: Top 2021 targets post-Pierre Brooks commitment

Jaden Akins, not Kobe Bufkin, is who I believe the coaching staff is prioritizing with limited space open in the 2021 class.

Needing a point guard to add some depth behind Rocket Watts — who isn’t exactly a pure point — the Spartans will be looking at Akins from Farmington, Mich., to fill an immediate need. The rest of the list of top remaining targets is filled with guards, but Akins is the one who can handle point duties and take some pressure off Watts, assuming he comes back in 2021-22.

Akins has solid size at 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds and he’s ranked the No. 99 prospect in the 2021 class as well as the third-best prospect in Michigan behind Bufkin and Pierre Brooks. He is severely underrated as his game translates well to the next level.

Like Bufkin, Akins is a lefty but is strong with both hands and is great at creating for himself and others. He has a knockdown shot and is explosive when he puts the ball on the floor.

One thing that stands out on his highlight reel is that he focuses on defense as an essential part of his game and that’s what Tom Izzo has to love. He’s a plus athlete who can swat shots on fast-breaks or with guards backing him down. He’s the top remaining target for Michigan State.