Michigan State’s frontcourt didn’t get a soft landing after the departures of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, but Tom Izzo appears to have found two bodies that can keep the Spartans moving in the right direction.
The bigger swing is Ethan Taylor, a 7-foot-1 addition who actually checks in taller than both Kohler and Cooper. For a team that already had size, that’s a notable upgrade in the room.
Taylor brings more than length, too. The source material points to a real hunger in his game, the kind of drive that suggests he wants to grow fast in East Lansing.
Izzo doesn’t usually hand freshmen starting jobs right away, and Taylor will probably have to wait his turn. Even so, his presence should matter when he gets on the floor. He gives the Spartans another big who can help experienced players operate more freely while also opening things up for the freshmen around him.
The other name is Anton Bonke, a less familiar figure to most fans but one who fits the vacancy left by Cooper almost cleanly. At 7-foot-2, he’s even taller than Taylor, and unlike Kohler, he profiles more as a classic big man than a perimeter-minded option. That alone gives Michigan State a different kind of presence inside.
Bonke’s impact will come down to whether he can elevate his game to Big Ten level. If he does, he could become a real difference-maker for MSU this season. If he doesn’t, the Spartans may not have another true answer waiting behind him.
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Michigan State Suddenly Has Real Momentum With A Rising 4-Star Guard
Joshua Tysons path has taken a familiar route for Michigan State fans watching the recruiting board. The four-star combo guard has moved from Lakota West in Ohio to La Lumiere in Indiana, a prep program that has sent plenty of prospects toward East Lansing over the years. Tyson also recently made an unofficial visit to Michigan State, where Tom Izzo extended an offer and added another name to the long list of guards the Spartans are trying to line up for the future.
The next step is already on the calendar, and it gives Michigan State a real chance to deepen the relationship after that first visit. Tyson is planning an official trip, and the Spartans are in the thick of the race with schools like Xavier and Ohio State, which makes every impression matter a little more. There is also a useful wrinkle at La Lumiere, where Tyson will be teaming with fellow Michigan State target Kingston Thomas, giving the Spartans another layer to sell as they try to turn early momentum into a commitment. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States Newcomers Already Bring A Real Minutes Battle For Izzo
Michigan States offseason overhaul has left Tom Izzo with a roster that looks deeper and more layered than it did a year ago, and the newcomers are already shaping the early conversation about who gets on the floor. With five new scholarship players expected to matter this season, the Spartans have a mix of freshmen and transfers who could change the rotation quickly, especially at the spots where the team needs immediate help and where the competition for roles is already crowded.
Jasiah Jervis and Carlos Medlock Jr. appear best positioned to force their way into meaningful minutes, while the rest of the class may have a longer road to regular playing time. Ethan Taylor and Julius Avent, in particular, are walking into situations where established options make every possession count, and that kind of internal battle is exactly what Izzo wants as Michigan State keeps building toward the bigger picture, including the programs long-term push to be in the mix when Detroit hosts the 2027 Final Four. [Read more 🡒]