One year ago at this time, Tre Holloman was a Michigan State hero. Not only did he hit a game-winning halfcourt buzzer-beater against Maryland which provided the Spartans with a ton of momentum, but he defended his seniors who were trying to kiss the logo on Senior Day by shoving two Michigan players out of the way.
Holloman was building an incredible legacy for himself in East Lansing, and he was quickly becoming a fan favorite who would end his career in the green and white with a standing ovation when he inevitably checked out for the final time at the Breslin Center.
Everyone was already envisioning his Senior Day and how special it would be, especially since he was set to become the team’s starting two-guard alongside future All-American Jeremy Fears Jr.
Following the Spartans’ Elite Eight loss to Auburn, Holloman was seen crying and embracing his teammates in the locker room and fans immediately assumed he was about to go on a revenge tour as a senior. He planned to do so, just with a different program.
Holloman shocked everyone and hit the transfer portal shortly after the season and quickly signed with Will Wade and NC State. The decision was unfathomable considering he was set to have a huge role with Jase Richardson and Jaden Akins both off to the NBA.
The word on the street after his departure was that he wanted more of a point guard role and he wasn’t going to get that at Michigan State with Fears there.
So did his decision to leave end up working out?
Tre Holloman probably has some regrets
Sometimes it’s tough to tell if a decision to transfer was really in a player’s best interest, but in this case, it’s super obvious that it wasn’t.
While Holloman left for a different role at a new program that he wouldn’t have had at Michigan State, he was promised something that he did not quite get. He wanted to be the primary ball handler, but instead was in the same role he would have been at Michigan State with less help around him. Quadir Copeland was the team’s starting point guard and Holloman played more of a two-guard role (again).
And Holloman’s numbers were essentially the exact same as his final season with the Spartans.
Holloman played just two more minutes per game with NC State and averaged just 0.2 more points and fewer assists. He would have actually had a larger role at Michigan State and he would’ve ended his career as a Spartan legend, but instead he chose to be the fifth-leading scorer on an NC State team that was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament in the First Four.
I don’t even want to imagine how scary this year’s team would be with Holloman.