Michigan State Basketball: 3 players who could leave early after 2020-21 season

We may be gearing up to see one of the biggest single-season jumps in production of any player under Tom Izzo.

As a freshman, Rocket Watts averaged 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He was primarily a shooting guard and missed a month earlier in the season with an injury that caused him to start the campaign slow. After he came back, he was much more comfortable and explosive and became one of the best role players on the team.

Watts ended the season on fire and took games over on multiple occasions. He would hit big shot after big shot and wasn’t afraid to take the ball to the hoop or hit defenders with a step-back three — just as Brad Davison how his ankles are.

While his numbers weren’t out of this world, he still finished on a hot streak and with Cassius Winston graduating, the team will turn to him as the primary ball-handler and playmaker.

There are a slew of college basketball experts who believe Watts is going to be a breakout star for Michigan State and if he can improve his shooting numbers, he may be a serious Big Ten Player of the Year candidate.

It’ll be tough to keep this kid in East Lansing past his sophomore season.