Michigan State’s biggest recruiting weekend in a while may already be paying off.
Tom Izzo hosted five-star point guard Antonio Pemberton and four-star center Jaydn Jenkins, and the buzz around the Spartans has picked up fast since their visits. Michigan State is hoping to land both, but the latest chatter suggests one of those official visits may have shifted the picture in a major way.
Late Thursday night, Joe Tipton reported that Michigan State had moved into favorite status for a top-25 recruit in the 2027 class.
A Top-25 overall recruit is entering decision mode, and Michigan State has emerged as the favorite.
The latest intel: https://t.co/4c4gohPd2M pic.twitter.com/CyDTSyYjQF
- Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) September 15, 2026
Tipton’s full report is behind a paywall, but the clue trail points straight at Pemberton. The five-star guard from Hanover, Mass., is the only Izzo target in the 2027 class ranked inside the top 25, and the timing lines up with his recent official visit. If Michigan State really has taken the lead, that’s a huge development for the Spartans.
Pemberton has drawn heavy interest from Tennessee, Kansas, Ohio State, UCLA, Creighton, Boston College, and Marquette. Those are the schools he had lined up for official visits, though this new update raises the possibility that some of those trips could be canceled if he is indeed close to a decision. Ohio State, Boston College, and UCLA appear to be the most at risk of losing out on visits if that decision window is as close as it sounds.
For Spartan fans, Pemberton is the name sitting near the top of the 2027 wish list. He is ranked No. 23 overall and No. 5 among point guards in his class.
And the fit is easy to see. Izzo’s track record with lead guards speaks for itself, from Mateen Cleaves to Marcus Taylor, Drew Neitzel, Kalin Lucas, Travis Trice, Denzel Valentine, Cassius Winston, and Jeremy Fears Jr. That pipeline has helped define Michigan State basketball for years, and the idea of adding another elite floor general keeps the momentum rolling.
There’s already talk that Carlos Medlock Jr. could be the next one in line after Jeremy Fears leaves, and Pemberton would only deepen that run. Adam Finkelstein called him “a scoring guard and tough shot-maker” and said that he has “proven to be one of the only players in high school basketball capable of putting his team on his back and carrying them to wins”.
That kind of description fits the kind of guard Michigan State has leaned on before. Pemberton may not have the biggest frame, but the offensive burden he can handle is the real selling point.
If the rumors hold, the Spartans could be headed toward commit watch with the Massachusetts native. And for a program that has been spoiled at point guard for years, the idea of adding Pemberton only makes the next wave look even stronger.
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