Michigan State has managed to stay right where the sport’s biggest brands are supposed to live, even as college basketball keeps getting turned on its head.
That’s the backdrop for what Tom Izzo has done in East Lansing. In a sport where roster turnover has become routine and the transfer portal keeps changing the math, the Spartans have remained steady.
While programs like Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas have recently had their share of trouble meeting the standard attached to “blue blood,” Michigan State has kept rolling. So have UConn and Duke, the other perennial powers still consistently showing up in the deep end of March.
The latest proof came in Andy Katz’s ranking of the top 10 returning seniors in college basketball this season. Two Spartans made the cut: Jeremy Fears Jr. at No. 1 and Coen Carr at No. 10.
That matters not just because both are elite talents, but because both have spent their entire college careers at Michigan State. In today’s game, that kind of stay-put continuity is rare enough to stand out on its own.
Fears is headed into the 2026-27 season with a case to be made as the best player in the sport. Last season, he put up 15.2 points, 9.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, earned AP Second Team All-American honors and led the nation in assists per game.
Carr brings a different kind of force. His shot is still a problem, but his athleticism jumps off the floor and he affects the game in plenty of ways.
He’s one of those players who can change the feel of a game without filling up a stat sheet.
Izzo’s work with Fears stands out even more when you consider what might have happened this offseason. If Fears had entered the portal, he likely would have been the top player available and in line for a massive payday wherever he landed. Instead, he’s still in East Lansing, giving Michigan State a foundational piece other programs would have loved to poach.
And it’s not just about keeping stars in place. Since arriving at Michigan State, both Fears and Carr have reached the NCAA Tournament every year, with one Sweet 16 run and one Elite Eight appearance mixed in.
That kind of experience matters. Izzo hasn’t simply held onto talent; he’s kept together players who already know what winning in March looks like.
The Spartans are also set to bring back four of their top six scorers from a team that finished as a No. 3 seed and reached the Sweet 16. That kind of returning production gives Michigan State a different level of familiarity entering the next season, especially in a sport where teams often have to start over from scratch.
All of that is why the Spartans are expected to open the 2026-27 season in the top 10 and why they’re viewed as a real Final Four threat. They’re not just returning pieces. They’re returning proven ones, and they’ll be led by a player who could wind up being the best in college basketball.
In a climate built around movement, Izzo has done the harder thing: kept his top talent in place and turned players like Fears into stars. That’s how Michigan State has stayed ahead while so many others are still trying to catch up.
In Other News...
Michigan State Is Sending A Clear Message About Pat Fitzgerald's Fire
Michigan States recent trip to Illinois had no shortage of frustration, and Pat Fitzgerald showed just how much the moment got under his skin after a disputed offsides call went against his team. The Spartans head coach reacted with a middle finger gesture toward officials, a flash of emotion that quickly became part of the postgame conversation before Fitzgerald later apologized for it at a press conference.
Even with the apology, Michigan State is making it clear it does not see the incident as something that defines Fitzgeralds approach. Athletic director Dan Bartholomae publicly backed the coachs passion and enthusiasm, saying he appreciated the energy Fitzgerald brings to the program. For a team looking to channel intensity in the right direction, that kind of support suggests the Spartans would rather focus on the fire than dwell on the flare-up. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo Sends Michigan State Football A Message Fans Needed
A public vote of confidence from Tom Izzo carries real weight in East Lansing, and the longtime Michigan State basketball coach made sure the football program got one after a bruising stretch. Speaking at a press conference, Izzo backed Pat Fitzgerald and the Spartans direction, offering the kind of steady support that resonates with fans who have been looking for a reason to stay patient.
Izzos message mattered because it came after a close overtime loss, the sort of result that can leave a fan base frustrated and searching for bigger answers. By urging support for the football team and its coach, he tried to shift the conversation back toward belief and continuity, a familiar move from a program figure who understands how quickly moods can swing when the results are tight and the questions start piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo May Have A New Michigan State Center To Trust
Freshman center Ethan Taylor has already given Tom Izzo something to chew on early this season, and that matters in East Lansing. The Michigan State coach has praised Taylors motor and the progress he has made, a notably different tone than the one he used when discussing former player Xavier Booker. For a program that often leans on trust, toughness and steady development down the middle, Taylors emergence has been one of the early surprises.
The bigger question now is how quickly that trust turns into a larger role. Veteran Anton Bonke is still the current starter, but Taylors play has created the possibility that he could take over the position as the season goes on. Izzos comments suggest he sees more than just a useful freshman, and for Michigan State, that kind of early belief can change the shape of a frontcourt in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]