Michigan State basketball: Another positive development in Frankie Fidler recruitment

Michigan State basketball experience a positive development in the recruitment of Frankie Fidler on Thursday afternoon.

A recruitment that was supposed to be wrapped up on Monday morning has stretched deep into the week. Michigan State basketball was expecting to learn its fate with Frankie Fidler on a Monday morning Omaha radio show, but he delayed his decision.

This was seen as a positive development for Michigan State considering Wisconsin was the presumed leader heading into his Michigan State visit over the weekend. Tom Izzo and the Spartans apparently gave him a lot to think about as he had to delay his decision. If he was surely headed to Wisconsin, that wouldn’t have happened.

Well, another positive development for Izzo and the Spartans took place on Thursday afternoon.

NEWS: Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn has entered the transfer portal, source told ESPN. Averaged 9.2 points and 3.9 assists this past season, averaged 12.2 points and shot 40.5% from 3-point range in 2022-23. Started 103 games over the past three seasons for Greg Gard.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 18, 2024

You might be wondering how Chucky Hepburn entering the portal helps Michigan State here and you have to realize that he was a major reason why Wisconsin was in the running for Fidler. Hepburn and Fidler are close friends and high school teammates so now that he’s leaving Wisconsin, the Badgers are likely out of the running for the Omaha transfer.

But this could mean that they want to be a package deal somewhere else. That’s just a rumor, but it’d be rather interesting.

Michigan State doesn’t exactly have a need at the point guard spot with Jeremy Fears and Tre Holloman handling those duties with Jase Richardson sitting third on the depth chart at the one. Hepburn would likely clog up the backcourt, so I don’t necessarily see that as a fit.

This is all interesting timing considering Fidler was reportedly picking between the Wisconsin and Michigan State basketball programs. Does this automatically make Michigan State the leader or is Hepburn’s eventual destination going to decide that?

For now, we have to take this as a positive development because the biggest threat to land Fidler is likely out.