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Michigan State Basketball: Projected starting 5 after Tyson Walker pledge

By Connor Muldowney

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Tyson Walker #2 of the Northeastern Huskies dribbles up court during the CAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Semifinals college basketball game against the Elon Phoenix at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on March 9, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 09: Tyson Walker #2 of the Northeastern Huskies dribbles up court during the CAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Semifinals college basketball game against the Elon Phoenix at the Entertainment & Sports Arena on March 9, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Tyson Walker committed to Michigan State basketball on Saturday afternoon and he shakes up the projected starting five for 2021-22.

Tyson Walker made a huge announcement on Saturday afternoon, committing to Michigan State over the likes of Kansas, Miami, Texas, Vanderbilt and Maryland. He was being courted by a handful of top programs, but Tom Izzo got in on him early and it paid off.

The former Northeastern point guard was named the CAA Defensive Player of the year in 2020-21 as a sophomore and he averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 assists per game. On top of that, he led Northeastern to its fourth regular season conference title in school history thanks to a seven-game winning streak.

Walker knows how to win and he plays at an elite level on both end of the court. He immediately improves Michigan State’s starting five outlook for 2021-22.

Obviously Tyson Walker was recruited as a starter for Michigan State, so this isn’t much of a surprise here at point guard. He’s that missing piece that the starting five needed.

Tom Izzo landing Walker on Saturday was one of the biggest offseason transfer additions of his career, rivaling that of Bryn Forbes and Eron Harris. He’s the first true point guard Izzo has recruited in the transfer portal which is interesting because he has usually developed guys at the position and has recruited mostly home-grown talent to run the point.

Over the past decade, Izzo has had guys like Kalin Lucas, Denzel Valentine, Keith Appling and Cassius Winston running the point — all local guys.

Maybe this move will be that shot in the arm that the program needed.

Either way, Walker comes in with a couple of years of experience running the point at Northeastern and he’s fresh off a huge season in which he was named the CAA defensive player of the year and he averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 assists. He also led Northeastern to the regular season CAA title.

A winner and an elite two-way player with multiple years of eligibility left? Yes, please.

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