Every day it feels like we’re getting a new update regarding the transfer portal or eligibility or some college basketball team adding a G-Leaguer. And every day, it feels like Michigan State’s path to a national title continues to increase in difficulty.
That path got even more difficult — once again — over the weekend as Kentucky picked up a commitment from one of the best players in the transfer portal.
Missouri star Mark Mitchell was fighting for a fifth year of college basketball through the courts, and a judge reportedly granted that to him. It didn’t take long for him to find his next collegiate home after starting his career at Duke and playing there for two years before two seasons at Missouri. He would be staying in the SEC and playing for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats.
While, on paper, that doesn’t seem to have an effect on Michigan State because the Spartans won’t see Kentucky this season — at least as of right now — but the NCAA Tournamenr exists.
And I don’t know if you’ve ever realized this, but the Selection Committee seems to love handing Michigan State the toughest region every single year. If it’s not Duke, it’s North Carolina. If it’s not North Carolina, it’s Kansas. If it’s not Kansas, it’s Kentucky. Michigan State has to get through the blue bloods if they want to finally stamp that “new blood status” on the program and win a national title.
Kentucky just made it exponentially more difficult thanks to the addition of Mitchell. The Wildcats were also one of those teams in the 6-10 range in way-too-early polls that were right on the Spartans’ heels. They’re going to be on the same tier as Michigan State this year, and they just added an All-SEC second-teamer to a roster that was already loaded and had previously picked up the best 3-point shooter in America from the portal.
That road to Tom Izzo’s second national title isn’t going to get any easier with all these elite transfers teaming up on blue bloods. It’s never good when those A-tier national title contenders add another major piece like Kentucky and BYU (Jaxon Kohler) have this week.
Tom Izzo has to trust in his vision
Izzo has been criticized rather unfairly for being the same exact coach that he has his entire career. That’s not to say that he’s never adjusted, but he’s never changed his morals. He’s one of the most respected coaches in the sport for a reason and his loyalty is what usually wins people over.
When Kohler went back on the market and some fans found out that Izzo awarded the team’s final scholarship to student manager Matthew Watkins, the hot takes came out about how the Hall of Famer wasn’t serious about winning his second title. That idea alone is hilarious to think about considering he’s been to seven Final Fours and pretty much works on improving himself and his team 24/7.
But this is a big season for him. He’s on the wrong side of 70 so the time is ticking on his chances for a second national title and this may be his best shot for a while with Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr both likely playing their last seasons for him. The roster he has might be his best since the 2019 Final Four team and that’s not putting pressure on them, that’s just how good they are on paper.
The pieces are there, the staff is confident, and Izzo just has to put all his faith in the guys that he recruited.
Man, the season can’t come soon enough.
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