Tom Izzo is one of the best recruiters in college basketball, but you would never know that by looking at his numerous “misses”. Although he’s an elite recruiter, Michigan State has missed on some priority targets because Izzo won’t play the NIL game as much as everyone else.
The transfer portal is now riddled with former Michigan State recruiting targets including guys like Aiden Sherrell (now at Indiana), Jalen Haralson (now at Tennessee), Milan Momcilovic, Dwayne Aristode, and Darius Adams, among others.
One more name has been added to the list of former Spartan targets in the transfer portal.
On Tuesday evening, just hours before the portal deadline, former five-star Michigan State power forward target Niko Bundalo entered his name into the portal. He spent just one season with Ole Miss, averaging 0.5 points and 0.5 rebounds over 11 games and he never played more than eight minutes in a single outing.
Now, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound Ohio native will be looking to spend his final three seasons (potentially four) at a new program.
Michigan State has needs in the frontcourt, but I’m not so sure the fit would be there.
Could Michigan State take a look at Niko Bundalo again?
I doubt that Michigan State would get involved here unless the Spartans lose someone to the portal and Izzo addresses the frontcourt with two players instead of just one transfer.
For instance, the only way this would make sense is if someone leaves for the portal and Izzo lands his starting center (Carson Cooper or a portal addition) and he wants to bolster the frontcourt with a former priority target. I mean, the Spartans did make Bundalo’s top four before originally committing to Washington and flipping to Ole Miss.
The former No. 31 recruit in the country was a five-star at one point during the summer of 2024, and Izzo really wanted him in the green and white before he committed to Washington. He decommitted last April and committed to Chris Beard and Ole Miss less than a month later.
I think it’d be an interesting addition because I liked his game coming out of high school and so did Izzo, but only if the Spartans address the center situation with a starting-caliber big man.
Until then, this is just another “what if” former Spartan recruit.
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