New Michigan State basketball assistant coaching roles reportedly assigned
Michigan State basketball is going to look slightly different in 2024-25 and it's not just because of the countless transfers in and out of the program as well as the departures of Tyson Walker and Malik Hall, but also because of the coaching staff.
In case you weren't aware, Michigan State hired former Michigan assistant Saddi Washington to replace Mark Montgomery who had left for the Detroit Mercy job.
That has conjured up some excitement for next year's team and it has also raised some questions about what the staff might look like heading into next season in terms of areas of expertise.
Well, 247Sports' Justin Thind has that answer.
From my understanding, #MichiganState’s new-look basketball staff will consist of Saddi Washington & Austin Thornton focusing on the bigs, while Thomas Kelley & Jon Borovich focus on the guards. Doug Wojcik transitions to an oversight role.
— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) June 11, 2024
Logical, skill-maximizing structure.
Washington and Austin Thornton will focus on the bigs which is important because it's been an area of weakness for years and the former Michigan assistant excelled in that regard in Ann Arbor. And Thomas Kelley and Jon Borovich will be focusing on the guards, per the report. Oh, and Doug Wojcik seems to be taking a more hands-off role, overseeing the staff.
In my opinion, this is the best-case scenario for the new-look staff. This will allow Tom Izzo to get his younger coaches involved and it will also put Washington into a role he's used to.
I'm not going to say that I expect a Big Ten title and Final Four berth this season, but this development at least raises the bar slightly. The new-look staff and incoming players mixed with the returning stars should bring excitement to fans that wasn't there when the season came to a crashing end in March.