Missing out on Darius Adams for the second time was a tough blow for Tom Izzo and the Spartans.
Heck, missing on him the first time to UConn hurt, but when he decommitted and hit the market again this spring, it felt like a position of need was about to be filled by an elite talent. Adams was the combo guard that the Spartans desperately needed after losing Jaden Akins, Tre Holloman, and Jase Richardson following the season.
However, he cut his list to two favorites, per a rumor, and he chose Maryland over Michigan State. That's right, Michigan State finished as the runner-up twice in this recruitment.
Now, with a need for another guard and a roster spot still open, where will Izzo turn?
There were already rumors that he was scouting players overseas in Lithuania but it feels like that may have been for future classes and not right away. He could utilize his overseas scouting and find a player that could come over and play in the backcourt in 2025-26 like Purdue did and like Illinois has been doing, but I don't think that's his best move.
If he truly wants to compete next season, he needs to find a scoring guard who can play stretches at the point in the transfer portal. And I'm not talking about just a backup point guard. No, I mean a guy who would have around the same impact that Adams would have with his scoring and overall playmaking ability. He needs to find a guy who can be a go-to scorer.
But what about Trey Fort? He can co-exist with another guard who can score. The two could be interchangeable in the starting lineup.
Sure, I have faith that Kur Teng will be a solid player and I've been driving his bandwagon for months, but Michigan State needs proven scoring and that's going to come from the portal.
Instead of just a casual backup point guard, Izzo needs to find a true starting option.