![Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo holds a microphone for former player Kelvin Torbert as he starts a \"Go Green, Go White\" cheer during open practice on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Syndication Lansing State Journal](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_92,w_2000,h_1125/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/137/01k6nm1ax7dw19mrhkch.jpg "Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo holds a microphone for former player Kelvin Torbert as he starts a \\"Go Green, Go White\\" cheer during open practice on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.
Syndication Lansing State Journal")
We’re getting to the point in Tom Izzo’s Michigan State basketball coaching career where he’s recruiting some of his own former players’ sons.
Izzo has already landed Jase Richardson, son of Jason Richardson, and turned him into a one-and-done. He’s recruiting Mateen Cleaves Jr. as well, and there are sure to be more former players’ sons coming through the pipe. He did, however, opt not to recruit Jaxon Richardson, the youngest son of Jason and younger brother of Jase. He wants to apparently forge his own path.
Another former player’s son is local, playing for East Lansing High School, and yet Izzo watched as he committed elsewhere this week.
Kelvin Torbert, a former five-star from Flint, played for the Spartans in the early-2000s and now his son, KJ, is gearing up to play college ball next season. He’s a senior at East Lansing High and he has officially committed to a former Michigan State guard at Bowling Green.
East Lansing’s KJ Torbert announces his commitment to Bowling Green!
— Ian Kress (@ian_kress) October 1, 2025
Torbert averaged 20 points as a junior last season and played a big role in the Trojans winning the state championship. pic.twitter.com/CiFJYmOAGZ
That’s right, there’s about to be another Torbert playing college ball, a little over 20 years after his dad concluded his career with Michigan State. His dad, Kelvin, was a 1,000-point scorer at Michigan State and helped lead the Spartans to a Final Four in 2005.
Now, he’ll be with Tum Tum Nairn at Bowling Green for at least his freshman season. Maybe he’ll be good enough to hit the transfer portal, and that could be an opportunity for Izzo to land him again.
Yet another former Michigan State star’s son is getting ready to play college basketball. We’re all getting old.