Michigan State’s 2027 class is off to a loud start, and the Spartans landed the kind of guard who can change the feel of a backcourt.
Five-star point guard Antonio Pemberton announced his commitment to MSU after taking his official visit to East Lansing. The 6-foot-1 guard from Hanover, Mass., was on campus during the program’s annual “Grind Week,” a stretch that featured what the source described as a particularly robust group of alumni this year.
Pemberton picked the Spartans over a long list of heavy hitters, including Kansas, Tennessee, Creighton, Ohio State, Marquette, Boston College, UCLA, and other high-major programs that had offered him.
The ranking tells you how serious this one is. Pemberton sits No. 23 overall in the 247Sports Composite and is ranked fifth among point guards.
His 247Sports rating of 0.9918 makes him the seventh-best recruit Michigan State has landed since at least 2003, and the top pure point guard prospect in that span. For comparison, Jeremy Fears Jr. is rated 0.9884 and currently stands 12th overall, while incoming freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. checks in at .9810 and is 21st.
What stands out with Pemberton is the scoring package. He can create his own shot with a mix of dribble moves and combinations, he has a solid mid-range jumper, and his stepback extends deeper than most point guards can go.
That skill set also makes him look a lot more like Medlock than a classic table-setting floor general. Replacing Fears as a distributor is not going to be simple, but Michigan State, and Tom Izzo, do not seem intent on trying to force another pass-first guard into that role. The setup points toward two elite scorers handling the point for the Spartans in 2027-28.
CBS Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein described Pemberton this way: "Pemberton is a tough-shot taker and maker," wrote CBS Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein. "He loves his pull-up game, both from the mid-range and three, has good lift into his release, the type of natural fade that requires very little separation, and yet still soft touch on the rim.
"While he lacks overwhelming muscle mass, he can be physical off the bounce, and create space through initiating little bumps. He’s also tight with his handle, capable of stringing together multiple moves to shake his defender, and very proficient at changing speeds with hang dribbles."
Pemberton is the first commitment in what looks like it could be a two- or three-man 2027 class for Michigan State. The Spartans have not had to attack this cycle the way they did with their four-player 2026 class, and part of that is because every scholarship player on the roster for the 2026-27 season will also be eligible in 2027-28 under the NCAA’s new 5-in-5 system.
Even so, there is still room for more high school talent to come through the door. Fears is likely headed to the pro game after this season, and Izzo probably would not be shopping for another point guard if he thought otherwise. Beyond that, Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Anton Bonke, and Jasiah Jervis all look like players who could end up NBA-bound if their upcoming seasons go well.
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