Tom Izzo and Michigan State hoops are back in action this week and videos are surfacing of the new team, getting fans really excited about the 2026-27 season.
But Izzo and Co. are also focusing on recruiting with the initial contact period for 2028 recruits beginning on June 15. Izzo has reached out to what we can only assume is several top 2028 prospects and one has been identified.
According to Sam Kayser, Michigan State is one of the first programs that have reached out to five-star combo guard Brady Pettigrew from Bolingbrook, Ill.
As an Illinois native, you can already assume that Brad Underwood and the Illini are going to be in the mix, but programs like Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Auburn, Villanova, BYU, Ohio State, North Carolina, Texas, and Florida are also in the mix, along with about a dozen others. Izzo knows that he’a going to have a battle on his hands, but selling him a starting spot with Jeremy Fears gone by 2028-29 and potentially Jasiah Jervis, too, would work well.
Plus, the fact that Pettigrew is a Midwest recruit should help considering Michigan State has been a powerhouse in the Big Ten and he has undoubtedly taken note.
Also whenever you hear about programs reaching out, there’s a legitimate chance that the recruits are also expressing interest. Programs are usually alerted that a recruit is interested before the initial contact. I’m not saying that Michigan State is going to be in the mix until the very end, but it’s good that the Spartans are in this early for one of the most coveted 2028 prospects.
Pettigrew is ranked the No. 14 recruit in the 2028 class. He’s also the No. 1 combo guard and No. 1 recruit from the state of Illinois.
There’s no official offer out yet on 247Sports, but I’d expect that to change with more familiarity.
Tom Izzo moves in silence
There’s a common theme with Izzo and Michigan State when it comes to recruiting and it’s the fact that the Spartans are always keeping their cards close to their chest.
Izzo is good at pursuing recruits heavily and keeping it on the down low. He’s done this for years, especially in the transfer portal, so whenever the Spartans are mentioned as contenders for top recruits, it’s always a surprise.
Pettigrew is a new name for a lot of us, but there are undoubtedly several other targets who haven’t been identified yet. Heck, we barely even know the Spartans’ 2027 targets.
Let Izzo move in silence. It’s when he gets his best work done.
Add us as a preferred source on Google