After last night, MSU has now gone three of the last four NBA Drafts without having a Spartan selected. Since 2020, Michigan State basketball has only had four players selected in the NBA Draft.. Those players are Xavier Tillman Sr., Cassius Winston, Max Christie, and Jase Richardson. Aside from that, it’s been a bit of a drought as far as the NBA goes for the Spartans. However, it feels like that is going to change soon, as Izzo reloaded his roster during these past few years with several players who I believe have a good chance to be drafted in the next few years.
We will take a look at a few MSU players who could get their name called in 2027 below:
Jeremy Fears Jr.
This name is obvious. Fears had his name in the NBA Draft process until the very last minute, withdrawing despite a lot of hype around his NBA Draft Combine performance. The concerns about Fears are around his size and shooting. Luckily for him, a similarly sized player in Jalen Brunson just won the NBA Finals, which may start to change the mindset of some teams around the league when it comes to small guards. If he can show improved shooting this year, expect Fears to find a home via the draft next year.
Coen Carr
Another obvious name. Is Coen Carr a perfect prospect? Probably not. Teams don’t love wings who aren’t knockdown shooters. However, Coen Carr isn’t just your average wing. He’s one of the most athletic basketball players in the world, seriously. With his insane bounce, strength, and excellent defense, teams will be interested in Carr when he decides to leave East Lansing, and if he can develop his shot, it’s a no-brainer.
Jordan Scott
According to Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, Jordan Scott is up 15 pounds of muscle this summer, which is exactly what he needed to gain the attention of NBA teams. Scott is an interesting NBA prospect. Many thought that Scott would actually redshirt last year, but an injury to Kaleb Glenn led to an opportunity that resulted in Scott becoming a regular starter for the Spartans. With his solid defense and good-looking shot, I actually got a little nervous NBA teams would pounce on him after his freshman season. They will definitely be paying attention to him this year.
Anton Bonke
MSU’s big transfer addition of the offseason could have never even stepped foot in East Lansing. Like Fears, Bonke entered the NBA Draft process while maintaining his eligibility before opting to withdraw and head to Michigan State, officially. At 7-foot-2 with the ability to shoot the ball, Bonke will certainly be on the radar of NBA teams this year.
Honorable Mentions
Kaleb Glenn
On paper, Kaleb Glenn checks a lot of boxes of what NBA teams want. He has size, shooting ability, and, before his injury, he had a lot of athleticism. I think the theory is that Glenn came to East Lansing to improve his defense, but an injury set him back a full season. If Glenn is back to full strength and shows he can defend at a higher level than he showed early in his career, he has a chance.
Carlos Medlock Jr./Jasiah Jervis
I’m putting these two talented freshmen together because it remains to be seen if either will have a big enough role this year to make the jump, but I wouldn’t be shocked if one of them has a Jase Richardson-type rise. They have both been extremely impressive in training camp and Moneyball footage, but MSU fans will hope they get a few seasons out of both players.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Who will be the next Michigan State player taken in the NBA Draft?
Reporting by Andrew Brewster, Spartans Wire / Spartans Wire
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By Andrew Brewster, Spartans Wire | USA TODAY Network
