Although everyone talks about Jeremy Fears’ decision coming down to the final hours, Michigan State fans overlook the fact that another impactful NBA draft announcement was made on the same day.
Big man transfer Anton Bonke of Charlotte entered his name into the NBA draft even before committing to Michigan State and many fans forgot he was even in there. That was until NBA draft withdrawal day when he announced that he’d be removing his name and returning to the NCAA where he’d suit up for Tom Izzo and the Spartans.
Bonke was never truly a threat to leave Michigan State for the NBA, but Fears definitely was.
In fact, Fears has even shared that while fans believed it was a forgone conclusion that he would be returning for his junior year, he was really torn on what to do. He ultimately decided to stay with Izzo and the Spartans because they never turned their backs on him. Loyalty is big with Fears and it’s why he’s still a Spartan to this day.
If Fears made a different decision, Michigan State could’ve had a major problem on its hands.
You see, Bonke committed to Michigan State for a couple of reasons, per SpartanMag. One, he wanted to win championships and he believed that was possible in East Lansing. And two, he wanted to play with Fears who could help make the No. 1 reason possible and he would also help make Bonke better.
"I couldn’t wish for a better point guard."Anton Bonke on Jeremy Fears
Fortunately, Fears decided to return and Bonke got his wish of playing with one of the best point guards in America. Who knew that Izzo’s loyalty to Fears could not only bring him back for a huge junior year but also help him land one of his top center targets in the transfer portal.
Anton Bonke has some big shoes to fill
While Bonke is rocking some massive shoes as a 7-foot-2 behemoth, he has even bigger shoes to fill with Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler gone. The frontcourt is going to need a serious restructuring and Bonke needs to lead the way.
The Charlotte transfer has elite size, can protect the rim, moves well for a 7-footer, and can step out and hit the occasional three. He’s got all the tools, but he needs to put them together at the Big Ten level.
If Michigan State is going to compete for a national title this season, Bonke needs to exceed expectations, but it sounds like that’s the plan. He believes that Fears is going to make him an even better player and if he takes that next step because of his All-American point guard, Michigan State could have Izzo knocking on the door of his second title.
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