Did Michigan State basketball just get positive news in Frankie Fidler's recruitment?
Frankie Fidler. Have you heard the name? If you haven't, he is the latest transfer that Spartan fans have clung to as they hope he becomes the next Spartan to join the Michigan State basketball team.
Fidler is a transfer from Omaha who has a final four set of Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Creighton. All four schools have hosted Fidler, including MSU late last week. Now we have to wait and see who Fidler ends up committing to, but more and more dominos are beginning to fall that could be very favorable for MSU's chances.
The current thought process is that Wisconsin and Michigan State are the top two teams in Fidler's recruitment. Wisconsin was the favorite leading into his visit to East Lansing, but Fidler ended up pushing his commitment date back which was seemingly a very good sign for the Spartans.
Now the latest news out of Wisconsin on Thursday is potentially the biggest domino to fall in Michigan State's favor.
NEWS: Wisconsin guard Chuck Hepburn has entered the transfer portal, a source tells @LeagueRDY.
— 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) April 18, 2024
Hepburn is a native of Omaha, Nebraska and has spent the last three seasons of his college career at Wisconsin.
He averaged 9.2PPG, 3.9APG, 3.3RPG and 2.1SPG this season. Big… pic.twitter.com/ygBSlfGO05
You might be wondering why it matters that Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn has entered the transfer portal. Hepburn and Fidler go way back with each other and are former high school teammates. It was thought that Hepburn being at Wisconsin was a big reason why Fidler was interested in the Badgers and why they were his leader for awhile.
Now with Hepburn no longer at Wisconsin, this opens the door wide open for Tom Izzo and Michigan State to slam it closed and win this recruitment. So much has gone the Spartans way in Fidler's recruitment in the past week that I think MSU is the clear team to beat right now. However, an expert prediction has not been made yet in Fidler's recruitment, and until he actually commits anything is possible.
Their also is the off chance that the Spartans pivot and recruit Hepburn to East Lansing along with Fidler. There is no indication that this is happening, but it could definitely be a possibility.
However, Michigan State has to love where they stand right now with Fidler, and the Spartans could be days away from receiving their first transfer portal commitment of the offseason.