Michigan State basketball: Pierre Brooks transfer expected, but still hurts

After one of the most intriguing Moneyball Pro-Am performances in recent memory, Michigan State basketball fans were excited about the growth of sophomore wing Pierre Brooks.

In fact, it felt like Brooks was dropping 40 points every single Moneyball game and his confidence was at an all-time high. Even in the first few weeks of the season, it felt like Brooks was going to be that offensive weapon to come off the bench and contribute some big threes and maybe even some aggressive drives to the hoop.

Now, the sophomore wing is in the portal after what was supposed to be his breakout season and it looked like it would be until he struggled in Big Ten play.

And then logged no NCAA Tournament minutes.

This was expected, but it still hurts.

Brooks showed promise with Michigan State basketball

It’s been a while, but Brooks was looking like a legitimate role player at the beginning of the season and he was thriving in his role of having the ultimate green light.

Brooks opened the season with 14 points in 17 minutes, making 4-of-7 threes. He had a few quiet games in a row and then was thrust into some extended action in the PK85 with Jaden Akins and Malik Hall out. He played 33 minutes against Alabama, 35 against Oregon, and 30 against Portland. The Spartans don’t win those last two games if he doesn’t drop 15 in each one on a combined 7-for-15 threes.

But his role diminished after that and his confidence seemed to disappear as Akins returned and then Malik Hall came back at the end of December and he basically hovered around 10 minutes per game max.

Since the calendar turned to 2023, he scored just 20 total points while shooting just 7-for-27 from the floor and 4-for-23 from deep.

Confidence was the issue, it seemed, as he just never looked comfortable in his new role with everyone else healthy.

He’s shown what he can do when he’s given the green light and can play 25-30 minutes per game so don’t be surprised when the former four-star stars outside of the Power Six next season and beyond.