Michigan State had a major problem at center this offseason that looked like it might hold Tom Izzo back from really chasing that second national title, but the Spartans quickly addressed it.
OK, so maybe “quick” isn’t the correct terminology, but Izzo did address the need for a center in the transfer portal after weeks of fan disappointment with top targets committing elsewhere on the regular. There was a point in time that it looked like Franck Kepnang would be the Spartans’ top option in the portal and that was less than ideal for the national title run.
However, Izzo landed Anton Bonke and that meant that Ethan Taylor didn’t have to be thrust into action as a true freshman, especially after a quiet senior year with Link Academy.
Fast forward to the end of May and it Taylor is starting to look like a center who could legitimately have an immediate impact for the Spartans. He may have had a quiet senior year with Link Academy as Carlos Medlock Jr.‘s teammate, but he has taken a huge step this offseason, trying out for and making Team USA’s U18 squad.
The fact that he was able to beat out 20 other elite prospects for a spot on the 12-man Team USA roster for the FIBA AmeriCup just shows that he’s more ready to compete as a true freshman than we all thought. He may not be quite as raw as we expected.
Taylor will have a pretty healthy role this upcoming season, in my opinion.
What will Ethan Taylor’s role be in 2026-27?
I’m going to base this projection on the assumption that Jesse McCulloch plays mostly power forward, but I could see the sophomore big man playing a few minutes at center, too.
Taylor is going to play the backup center role behind Bonke and that likely means he’ll have to play upwards of 10-15 minutes per game. He may have to ease into that role, though, seeing as he may not have a Big Ten-ready frame just yet, but non-conference play against elite opponents will help him get much more comfortable.
The 7-footer has been dubbed maybe the most “physically gifted big man in the class” by 247Sports’ Adam Finklestein and he’s also rapidly improving, according to the recruiting expert. He’s also a lob threat and has a 7-foot-3 wingspan so he could be a rim protector and a perfect pick-and-roll option for Jeremy Fears.
I’m going to predict that he plays closer to 10 minutes per game as a true freshman, but his role will grow throughout the season as he gets more comfortable.
A super-athlete as a backup center who can explode toward the basket and finish strong in traffic will be just what Michigan State needs off the bench. I can see him averaging somewhere in the ballpark of five points and 3-4 rebounds with a block per game. He’s going to be good early, but he’s still a work in progress.
Fans are really going to like Taylor. This isn’t Xavier Booker 2.0.
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