Michigan State has a glaring need heading into the offseason that Tom Izzo knows will likely only be solved by the transfer portal. The 71-year-old head coach doesn’t sound like he’s ready to retire any time soon, but he also knows that he needs to hit the portal hard if he’s going to win No. 2.
The Spartans have a massive need at center with the departures of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, and while Jesse McCulloch and Ethan Taylor may suffice for some, he needs a dominant big.
With all the backcourt and wing players coming in, coming back, and returning from injury, Michigan State looks to be rather loaded on the perimeter. The only glaring issue that next year’s team needs is a center, and you could argue that it’s really the only thing missing from a team that may very well win the Big Ten and contend for a national title.
There have been several interesting bigs that have hit the portal already, but potentially the best fit hasn’t announced his intention to transfer — yet.
Two more ideal additions have hit the portal this week, though. The first was Somto Cyril from Georgia who even earned a Draymond Green endorsement earlier this season, and the second was Kansas’ Flory Bidunga who was a first-team All-Big 12 selection after a huge season in the frontcourt for the Jayhawks. If Bidunga’s name sounds familiar, that’s because it probably is. He was a Michigan State recruiting target in the 2024 class with Kur Teng, Jase Richardson, and Jesse McCulloch.
Izzo could get involved with a familiar student athlete soon.
Fans are begging for a Flory Bidunga type splash transfer
This type of elite target can be filed under “die trying” which Izzo vowed to do a few years ago after losing in the second round to North Carolina.
And for a third straight offseason, at least, Michigan State fans are begging Izzo for an elite transfer big, and Bidunga fits that description — and he was once a target of the Hall of Famer’s.
Bidunga would be a really good option and so would Cyril, but I’d love it if former Spartan recruiting target Aiden Sherrell also hit the portal. He was one of Izzo’s top targets in that same class with Bidunga and he ultimately chose Alabama despite the Spartans being a finalist for him. Sherrell has the potential to put up 15 and 10 on any given night, and he can hit threes.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see Izzo involved with any one of these three guys, but it’s all going to depend on the roster losses he experiences this offseason.
If a player like Flory or Cyril wants to play for you, you make room.