Jeremy Fears Jr. didn’t exactly hide how he felt about the latest top sophomores list in college basketball.
A recent ranking of the top 30 second-year players left out two Michigan State names that figure to matter plenty this season: Cam Ward and Jordan Scott. That was enough for Fears to call it out on social media, posting, “Jordan Scott Cam Ward 🫡 https://t.co/BxzDUbqddT” on August 10, 2026.
And he had a point.
Scott and Ward are both set up to play major roles for a Spartans team that enters the season with real expectations. Scott cracked the starting lineup as a true freshman and helped a Michigan State team stay in Big Ten title contention before earning a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ward worked through wrist issues early, then emerged as a strong post option off the bench, even if his shot came and went and foul trouble remained an issue on defense.
Neither player came out of nowhere, either. Both were highly regarded recruits, which made their freshman production feel more like the beginning than the finish line.
Still, the snub stands out. Scott started for a Sweet 16 team and could be the starting shooting guard for a 2026-27 Michigan State squad that is expected to open near the top five.
He brings shooting and defense, and he even held lottery pick Keaton Wagler in check in the Spartans’ matchup with Illinois. Ward, meanwhile, is projected to start for a top-10 Michigan State team and looks poised for a big role at the four.
That’s why the omission feels so strange: two sophomore starters on a team projected to be in or near the top five, and neither makes a top-30 sophomores list.
The case for both players goes beyond just team context. Scott finished his freshman season averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37 percent from three.
He also averaged 1.2 stocks per game and established himself as an excellent defender. With more muscle on his frame, there’s a chance he adds another layer to his game by attacking the rim more often.
Ward has a different profile. He’s a physical power forward who may not stretch the floor the way Tom Izzo would like, but he’s working on it.
He was also one of the top 3-point shooters at Moneyball, and he was recently labeled a “likely” starter during a podcast appearance with Jon Rothstein. If he can cut down on fouls and defend without relying so heavily on his hands, he has a real shot to push into All-Big Ten territory.
That’s the big-picture argument here: Scott and Ward both have the kind of two-way ability that could put them on All-Big Ten teams. They could each finish the season averaging in double figures.
For now, though, they’re outside the top 30.
That should be enough motivation.
In Other News...
Michigan State May Be Getting A Huge Brady Pretzlaff Boost
Brady Pretzlaff has spent much of fall camp trying to remind Michigan State what made him such a highly regarded recruit in the first place. The former four-star linebacker was held back by injury last season and never got much of a chance to settle in, but defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has liked what he has seen since camp opened, describing Pretzlaff as well ahead of where he was after the setback.
That matters for a linebacker room still sorting out its pecking order. Jordan Hall remains a central piece, but the Spartans also have several transfers and younger players competing for roles, which makes any meaningful rise from Pretzlaff particularly important. If he can turn this progress into a reliable presence on the field, Michigan States defense could get a much-needed boost from a player who still has plenty of runway left. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Needs More From Derrick Simmons Than Hype This Year
Michigan State is counting on Derrick Simmons to be more than a former recruiting win this season, because the defensive tackle room has some real turnover and the Spartans need younger bodies to settle in fast. Simmons arrived with plenty of pedigree as a four-star prospect, but his first year was mostly about learning the jump from high school to Big Ten football and adjusting to the speed, strength and physical demands that come with it.
Now a sophomore, Simmons has already made the kind of body transformation the staff wanted to see, and the expectation is that hell finally be part of the weekly conversation up front. He is projected to fit into the tackle mix with Ben Roberts and Eli Coenen, and for Michigan State the question is no longer whether he belongs in the rotation, but how quickly he can turn promise into production. [Read more 🡒]