Michigan State Basketball: 3 most unlikable Michigan players since 2000

1. Zack Novak (3-4 record vs. MSU)

Before there was ever a smirk-in-your-face Mo Wagner, Zack Novak was that dude for Michigan in the rivalry. Not only was Novak just an overall pest on the floor, but he knew how to get under your skin and he would just stay there where he thrived.

Novak knew he was hated in the rivalry and embraced it and that’s a common theme on this list.

The former Michigan guard played for the Wolverines from 2008-12 and he was one of the founding fathers of the rebirth of the program under John Beilein. He brought the toughness back to Michigan and after going 0-3 against Michigan State in his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, he went 3-1 in his final two years.

If he forced a Michigan State turnover, he’d clap in your face. If he made a bucket, he’d scream in your face. And if he beat Michigan State, he’d make sure you knew about it.

This dude was a headache as a fan and I can only imagine what kind of trash talker he was as a player. He embraced the “unlikable rival” role.