The 2024-25 Michigan State basketball team was special. The Spartans didn't exactly excel shooting the ball, but they made up for that with stellar defense and an elite rim-running ability.
No team in college basketball got out on the fast break quite like Michigan State
Unfortunately, the team is going to look a lot different heading into 2025-26. Gone are Jase Richardson, Jaden Akins, Tre Holloman, Frankie Fidler, Szymon Zapala, Xavier Booker, and Gehrig Normand. The NBA, graduation, and the transfer portal decimated the roster.
However, Jaxon Kohler, Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, and Carson Cooper all return as key pieces with starting experience from a Big Ten champion squad. Michigan State also brings in three transfers in Kaleb Glenn, Trey Fort, and Divine Ugochukwu to go along with two talented incoming freshmen in Jordan Scott and Cam Ward. Oh, and you can't forget Jesse McCulloch and Kur Teng who are expected to see their roles increase.
When all is said and done, this roster is going to compete for another Big Ten title.
But it'll need some underclassmen to step up. Here are the three underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) who I believe are going to take massive leaps this season.
Note: I decided not to include Jeremy Fears Jr. because he's technically a junior by academic status and it would've been too easy of a pick.
1. Kur Teng
There haven't been too many sub-three-minute-per-game players who I've been as excited about as Kur Teng over the years, but I truly think this dude is going to be special.
The former four-star recruit was tabbed as the incoming freshman who would have the biggest impact right away before last season by some members of the media, but obviously that was Jase Richardson. He sat back and learned for the entire season, appearing in 19 games and scoring 10 total points. He also shot 2-for-9 from deep.
Teng may not have the experience and didn't exactly stand out in 2024-25, but there's a reason Tom Izzo didn't try to over-recruit his position in the portal despite losing three guards. He believes in Teng and I think he could be a sharpshooter with some defensive upside. I'm excited for him to get a shot.
2. Jesse McCulloch
The word on the street at the end of the 2024-25 season was that Jesse McCulloch was taking major strides in practice and he was going to surprise some people as a redshirt freshman.
While you have to take every rumor you hear with a grain of salt, it does seem to have some legs as multiple people have echoed the same sentiment and he will be forced into a role next season with Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler as the only two centers on the roster -- the latter could even play a lot at the four.
McCulloch was just a three-star recruit in the 2024 class, but he beefed up quite a bit and got to go up against some solid bigs at practice all freshman year. He's a 6-foot-10, 240-pound beast down low and I think he's going to become a fan favorite early on as a redshirt freshman.
3. Cam Ward
This may be a popular pick among many Michigan State fans before the 2025-26 season and it's because we continue to see highlight reels of Cam Ward being an absolute 'dawg'.
Ward was one of the best scorers at the high school level throughout his career and he actually became the all-time leading scorer in Maryland public high school history during his senior year. He plays angry, always gives 100 percent, and is working on his inside-out game.
Although he's slightly undersized for a four (6-foot-7), he has a strong frame and is going to give opponents fits on both ends of the floor because of his motor.
Yes, I believe he has an impact right away.