Making the case for Denzel Valentine's No. 45 to be retired by Michigan State

Michigan State Basketball has plenty of names and numbers hanging in the rafters of the Breslin Center. And Denzel Valentine's should be next.

Draymond Green's No. 23 was the most recent number to be raised up. That came during a game against Duke back during the 2019-2020 season. Discussion for who should be next can go in plenty of directions.

Kalin Lucas' No. 1, Charlie Bell's No. 14, but there is one name and number that sooner or later must be hanging in the rafters. That is Valentine and his No. 45 jersey.

His dad, Carlton, first rocked the No. 45 from 1984 to 1988. He never quite got to the level that Denzel did, but that number is forever intertwined with the Valentine name.

It came as no surprise that when Denzel arrived in East Lansing, he would pick the No. 45. The rest was history.

From a cheeky smile and grin with a gap between his teeth to all the magical plays he made during his four-year career in the green and white, Denzel was special and Michigan State was lucky to have him.

All his accolades make him a perfect candidate to have his jersey retired. He finished his Spartan career with 1,645 points, 855 rebounds, 639 assists, 132 steals and 40 blocks. Not to mention he finished his senior campaign as the Big Ten Player of the Year, and a unanimous first-team All-American.

He also took home plenty of hardware including the Julius Erving Award and the NABC Division 1 Player of the Year. Did I forget he was only the third Spartan to record a triple-double joining Bell and Green in that regard?

Denzel led the Spartans to two Big Ten Tournament championships and the 2015 Final Four. It was a privilege to watch Denzel play and he won't soon be forgotten.

Sure, after being drafted 14th by the Bulls in the 2016 Draft things didn't pan out, but he's still playing ball overseas and you cannot deny that Spartan Nation will always appreciate what he did.

In my opinion, Valentine's number is just as important as Cassius Winston's No. 5. His jersey belongs in the rafters as much as Denzel's. I don't make that call, but if I could both would get my vote.