The last time that Michigan State won the national title was all the way back in 2000 and that team was led by a multi-year captain and Spartan legend in Mateen Cleaves.
The three-time All-American got the Spartans to the title game against Florida and rolled his ankle on an attempted layup way after the whistle was blown. He hobbled his way back onto the court and celebrated Tom Izzo’s first national title, forgetting all about that ankle injury. He was already a Spartan legend, but that put him in the rafters.
Cleaves was so beloved by Izzo that his own son’s middle name was Mateen. Stephen Mateen Izzo eventually walked on at Michigan State but never got to sniff a national title like his namesake did.
Well, Izzo may have another player named after Mateen who could help lead him to another national title (hopefully a third at that point). Mateen Cleaves Jr. is one of the Spartans’ top 2028 targets and he’s obviously been on Izzo’s radar since he was old enough to dribble a basketball. If he’s anything like his dad, he’s going to be a star at the NCAA level.
The 2028 class is still a ways away, but Cleaves Jr. just skyrocketed up the ESPN recruiting rankings in a post-EYBL update.
Mateen Jr. is now the No. 19 recruit in the 2028 class, per ESPN.
If Izzo doesn’t land his legendary former point guard’s son, I would be absolutely floored. I don’t see Izzo retiring before 2028, so the storylines would be unreal if that does happen.
Tom Izzo could get his storybook ending
Cleaves Jr. is looking like he could be a five-star recruit in the 2028 class and, like his dad, he’s going to have plenty of potential suitors and he’ll be offered a ton of NIL money.
Izzo has to trust that his relationship with Mateen Jr. is stronger than any other coach. He still has to put in the work to land the 247Sports four-star prospect (No. 43 in the composite) but there’s no way the Spartans are not firmly in the lead for him.
Imagine Mateen Jr. committing to Michigan State, leading the offense in Izzo’s final year, and ending with a national title. Izzo’s first title could be with a Cleaves and his second could also be led by a Cleaves. You couldn’t write a better script than that. I can already see the ESPN 30 for 30 on the family that helped build Michigan State basketball.
Let’s win that 2026-27 national title first.
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