Michigan State Basketball: The good, great, bad, and ugly from Nebraska loss

Ugly: Tom Izzo and his stance on the transfer portal

This trend has been slowly becoming more and more of an issue as the years pass on. It’s no secret that Tom Izzo despises the transfer portal. Despite his best player coming to Michigan State basketball by way of the portal, Izzo has repeatedly bashed it as well as the players and coaches utilizing it. Which brings us to this season. It was apparent two years ago that Mady Sissoko was not able to make the expected jump to become a competent Big Ten center. Anyone watching last year’s team could also tell that neither Carson Cooper nor Jaxon Kohler had All-Big Ten written on them. And yet, Izzo refused to go into the portal to address the need down low.

Even before Kohler went down with his foot injury, Michigan State basketball was soft and ill-equipped at the five, and that is even more painfully obvious now. 

It isn’t just the five position that has suffered due to Tom’s inability to adjust to the new college basketball landscape. Michigan State lacks any bench production at the three, which could have been addressed via the portal as well. No one is saying that Tom must go out and grab the top transfer player available, but even just adding depth from a veteran player looking for a new start would do wonders for this team. You hate to say it, but Tom Izzo and his loyalty only to guys he recruited mirrors Mark Dantonio in his final years more and more each day. I love Izzo. I loved Dantonio. Both will be/already have been undone by their devote loyalty.