Michigan State basketball could land perfect backcourt combo in 2023 class

Tom Izzo landed a heck of a backcourt in Michigan State basketball’s 2021 recruiting class with Max Christie and Jaden Akins.

Christie was the No. 1 shooting guard in the class and Akins was one of the best point guards who also has the ability to play some at the two. These two will make up a heck of a backcourt for at least a couple of years in East Lansing and Izzo has to feel good about his guards.

But he’s already aiming to land another elite backcourt combo in the 2023 class.

Sure, he still has 2022 to worry about with a few open spots still, and only Tre Holloman and Jaxon Kohler committed. There’s a decent backcourt option right there in Holloman, but Izzo learned during the 2020-21 season that you can never have too much depth in the backcourt.

This week, Izzo stopped by La Lumiere (Ind.) to see one of his top point guard targets in the 2023 class in Jeremy Fears Jr. The four-star is one of the most sought-after point guards in the class with 20 offers already and it looks like Missouri, Illinois, and MSU are the early favorites for him. He’s the seventh-best point guard in the class, per the composite.

Fears Jr. is also the No. 26 overall recruit in the 2023 class.

But there’s another top backcourt target on Michigan State’s board in the class.

Who’s Michigan State basketball’s other backcourt target?

Braelon Green is one of the best guards in the class and he’s ranked No. 34 in the ESPN60 for 2023. He’s going to be a four or five-star combo guard before it’s all said and done and he is atop Michigan State’s board in the 2023 class and he’s from Southfield, Mich.

Green is expected to visit Michigan State on Oct. 30 and if the Spartans can lock up a combination of him and Fears Jr., they will have one of the best young backcourts in the country in 2023.

Imagine if Akins is still on the team when these two get to town and you’d have these guys on the roster in the backourt:

• AJ Hoggard (senior)
• Jaden Akins (junior)
• Tre Holloman (sophomore)
• Jeremy Fears Jr. (freshman)
• Braelon Green (freshman)

That’s an almost perfect rotation in the backcourt. Defense, scoring, play-making, these guys can do it all. Plus, it’s the perfect mix of veterans and young stars.

This has the look of a title-contending backcourt for Izzo.