Michigan State has spent plenty of time looking at guards in the 2027 class, but the Spartans just turned their attention to the frontcourt.
Tom Izzo and his staff extended an offer Tuesday to Jayon Connor, a four-star power forward from Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, North Carolina. The timing says plenty: Connor is in the middle of a fast-moving rise, and Michigan State jumped in as the interest kept piling up.
Connor’s recruitment has taken off over the past few weeks. He was unranked in June, then started turning heads at Nike EYB Peach Jam earlier this month.
The 6-foot-7 forward has since climbed into the 247Sports Composite rankings at No. 99 overall. He’s now listed as the No. 3 player in North Carolina and the No. 16 forward nationally.
The Spartans were part of a wave of offers that has come in quickly. Michigan State’s came on the same day as Clemson and one day after Providence, Georgia Tech, and UConn. Last week, Connor also picked up offers from USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.
That surge followed an earlier stretch that included offers from UNC Charlotte and Appalachian State before Illinois and Texas A&M entered the picture at the end of June.
Connor’s summer has been about showing more than just raw tools. At Peach Jam, he helped lead his team to a win with a 24-point outing on 11-for-17 shooting. He’s also worked to sharpen his jump shot, looking to add another layer to his game.
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