Tom Izzo isn’t backing away from the way he’s always liked to build a roster, even as college basketball keeps drifting toward the transfer portal.
That reality has become harder to ignore across the sport. Coaches are finding plenty of success by leaning on players who already know the college game, and the examples are everywhere.
Michigan rode a transfer-heavy group last season under Dusty May, with Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and point guard Elliott Cadeau in the mix. Indiana also made a historic run in college football last season after leaning heavily on experienced players and transfers.
So the pressure to follow that model is real. A lot of programs have clearly decided the portal is the fastest way to get older, deeper and more ready right away.
Izzo, though, has kept his focus on high school recruiting.
Michigan State’s commitment to that approach has already paid off with a top-10 recruiting class for 2026, and the Spartans added more momentum by landing a commitment from top-30 prospect Antonio Pemberton. There’s also a ripple effect to that strategy: when a blue blood like Michigan State keeps investing in high school talent while others chase the portal, elite recruits notice.
And Izzo, being Izzo, didn’t respond to the question with a polished recruiting lecture. He turned it into a joke. According to Kenny Jordan of Spartan Magazine, Izzo said:
“Well it keeps the fan base alive on Twitter (now known as X), so they stay mad at me, because I didn’t go to the portal.”
That’s the kind of line that fits him perfectly. He didn’t try to sell anyone on a big philosophical speech. He just shrugged off the noise and made it part of the punchline.
For Izzo, the criticism hasn’t been enough to change the formula. He’s still betting on high school players, and he doesn’t sound like someone who plans to stop anytime soon.
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Izzo Is Betting On A Michigan State Formula Fans Know Well
Tom Izzo is once again leaning into a roster-building approach Michigan State fans know well, putting more stock in high school recruiting than in a heavy reliance on the transfer portal. This seasons group reflects that familiar formula, with the Spartans adding one transfer alongside a highly ranked recruiting class as they try to strike the right balance between youthful upside and a little bit of seasoned help.
The real test starts to come quickly, with Michigan State opening exhibition play on Oct. 2 against Incarnate Word. It is the kind of early look that can reveal how smoothly the pieces fit together, and for Izzo, it is another chance to show whether patience and player development can still carry as much weight in todays game as portal shopping does across the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces Early Depth Concerns Before Nebraska Opener
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Three more Spartans are listed as questionable, leaving the staff to manage depth issues before a conference game that arrives quickly and with little room to ease into it. The matchup is set for a Big Ten Network broadcast, and for Michigan State, the bigger storyline may be less about the opponent than about how much of the roster can actually make it through the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo Sounds Different About This Michigan State Team
Michigan State has opened practice for the 2026-27 season, and with Tom Izzo entering his 32nd year on the bench, the start of another campaign naturally comes with the usual mix of curiosity and caution. This time, though, Izzo sounded especially encouraged as he discussed the roster, player development and what he sees taking shape during the early stages of preparation.
The Spartans have the kind of depth that can make a preseason feel different, and Izzo pointed to the way freshmen are being brought along as part of that equation. He also singled out Jeremy Fears and Dan Bartholomae, part of a wider group he believes gives Michigan State a real foundation, though the exact shape of the rotation is still something this team will have to sort out in practice. [Read more 🡒]