It's time for Michigan State to retire Cassius Winston's No. 5 jersey

Earlier this week, Michigan State basketball posted its final roster ahead of the 2025-26 season as well as each newcomer's jersey number.

Guys like Divine Ugochukwu, Trey Fort, Cam Ward, and Jordan Scott all received their new numbers with Michigan State, and none of them replaced Tre Holloman's No. 5. The junior point guard entered the transfer portal after three seasons with the Spartans and decided to head to NC State to finish his college hoops career.

For the first time since the 2021-22 season, Michigan State doesn't have anyone wearing that No. 5, and it's the first real opportunity for the program to retire it.

There has been some talk since Holloman left about retiring Cassius Winston's No. 5 that Tre wore throughout his three seasons in East Lansing, and it feels like it's time. Retiring it before Holloman got to campus would have been too early (two seasons since he left), but now that it's been five years, it feels like the perfect time to honor the second-best point guard to ever suit up for Izzo.

And Holloman agrees.

Cassius provided Michigan State fans with plenty of memories and four great years of basketball at the point guard spot. He was the perfect leader and the ideal OKG (our kinda guy) for Izzo. He won three straight Big Ten titles, made a Final Four, and likely would have made a national title push if the 2020 NCAA Tournament didn't get cancelled.

Izzo would have to be in favor of retiring Cassius' number because it honestly shouldn't have even been worn by Holloman. It deserved to be preserved the second Cassius graduated.

It's only been five years, and there's a case for guys like Kalin Lucas and Denzel Valentine to have their jerseys retired, but Cassius has to be a priority. He's a Spartan legend, and it's about time he gets honored like one.