There have been some hot takes recently regarding Michigan State's acquisition of Anton Bonke from the transfer portal, especially from fans who thought Tom Izzo was going to target someone like Flry Bidunga who's commanding five-plus million dollars.
Most Michigan State fans appreciated the addition because Bonke addresses a position of need and he brings an interesting skillset to the table.
Not only is he 7-foot-2, making him perfect rim-protecting height, but he's also pretty skilled offensively. No, he's not currently able to drive the lane and dunk which is something Carson Cooper was able to develop in year four (albeit not a regular play for him), but he can be a prime pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop guy that would fit perfectly with Jeremy Fears.
Some might be questioning Bonke's ability as a consistent shooter, but he made over 34 percent from deep last season with Charlotte, so he's more than capable of stepping out.
That ability to either stretch the floor combined with the ability to finish strong around the rim actually puts him in elite company, proving that he has some elite potential at Michigan State.
In fact, Bonke is one of just 10 7-footers who have had 50 dunks and 10 threes in a single season. He joins guys like Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, and Deandre Ayton on the exclusive list.
7-footers with 50 dunks and 10 threes in a season per @totally_t_bomb:
— Matthew Winick (@matthewwinick) April 22, 2026
Anton Bonke
Henri Veesaar (NBA draft process)
Ryan Kalkbrenner (NBA)
Vlad Goldin (NBA)
Kel'el Ware (NBA)
Branden Carlson (NBA)
Chet Holmgren (NBA)
Walker Kessler (NBA)
Evan Mobley (NBA)
Deandre Ayton (NBA) https://t.co/AbQllK2jt9
While this is a solid stat, it also proves that Bonke has a long way to go. It does also show that his potential is limitless if he can take to Izzo and Saddi Washington's coaching.
Michigan State is going to have plenty of shooters in 2026-27
The center position was address with a guy who can step out to shoot threes at 7-foot-2, and I can only imagine that Izzo is going to increase his volume and work on his shot all summer. He's going through the draft process, so that's also going to help him improve.
Outside of Bonke, Michigan State brings back guys like Kur Teng, Jordan Scott, Kaleb Glenn, Jesse McCulloch, and Jeremy Fears Jr. who can all hit the three. Obviously Fears needs some work there and Coen Carr is even capable, but that's a great group of shooters and that's not even mentioning Jasiah Jervis and Carlos Medlock Jr.
Shooting was a concern the 2025-26 team, but I have a feeling that the 2026-27 squad isn't going to have those same issues.
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