Anton Bonke’s new Michigan State jersey number stirs up mixed feelings from fans

Tom Izzo and Michigan State had one glaring need this offseason other than the need for Jeremy Fears’ return, and that was the center position.

The Spartans lost Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper from the post and they truly dominated the minutes share at the four and five. Now that they’re gone, the post needed a boost and it took Izzo a few weeks to find his guy after missing on a few targets.

Charlotte’s Anton Bonke was the perfect fit for Izzo and the 7-foot-2 behemoth was also being pursued by other top programs like Kansas.

Fortunately, the Spartans were able to hold on and beat out the competition for the coveted 7-footer from Porta Vila, Vanuatu. He’ll likely be Michigan State’s starting center over guys like Jesse McCulloch and Ethan Taylor and he’ll be tasked with being that missing piece on a national title-contending roster in East Lansing.

Obviously big expectations to live up to. He’ll need a jersey number to match.

On Monday, he teased which jersey number he’s going to wear for the Spartans and it’s a familiar one for Michigan State fans.

Bonke wore No. 5 at Providence two years ago and then No. 49 at Charlotte, so he decided to pick something in the middle of those two. He landed on No. 34 which, in case you forgot, was recently worn by Xavier Booker for a couple of seasons before he transferred out to UCLA.

It goes without saying, but Bonke needs to ensure that this jersey number isn’t cursed. The only other Spartan that I can remember donning the No. 34 was Korie Lucious and he, too, transferred out.

Here’s to hoping he can be the best No. 34 of the trio.

Anton Bonke has some big shoes to fill

As the newcomers make their way to campus, their roles with the Spartans become more real.

We’ve seen Carlos Medlock, Julius Avent, and Bonke make their way to campus so far and Jasiah Jervis and Ethan Taylor will be joining them when they return from Mexico where they won silver for Team USA at the FIBA AmeriCup. They’re all joining the team for summer workouts and this is where it starts to feel real. Seeing Bonke get greeted by Fears and Coen Carr shows just how important he is to this team.

With Cooper’s departure, Michigan State needed an athletic, rim-running 7-footer to fill his shoes and Izzo feels like he got that in Bonke. He may not have quite the same rim-running skills, but he’s athletic enough to make up for it. Filling those Cooper shoes won’t be easy, though.

Cooper was one of the most improved players in the Izzo era and he ended his career on a high note even though everyone wishes that he had gotten one more year. He was able to defend at a high level and become the perfect pick-and-roll lob threat for Fears.

Bonke will have to replicate that. He has the tools, and he can also hit the three on occasion, which makes him a bigger offensive threat than his predecessor.

The potential is there, but hopefully the pressure of filling Cooper’s shoes and being the starting center for a national title contender doesn’t crush the big man transfer from Charlotte.

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