Michigan State basketball: 5 ideal transfer center options

Michigan State basketball should be in the market for a transfer center this offseason and these five guys are best-case scenarios.

Tom Izzo hasn’t been the biggest proponent of the transfer portal (obviously), but the Michigan State basketball coach has vowed to get the program back to the top “or die trying”. Well, the “die trying” portion of that statement entails utilizing the transfer portal.

And he’s dipping his toe into the pool of transfers this offseason.

Over the past week, or so, Michigan State has been linked to guys like J’Vonne Hadley, Keyshawn Hall, and Frankie Fidler. All three of those guys are likely being recruited as wings who can play the three in East Lansing which would slide Jaden Akins to the two. A lineup with Akins playing the two is probably more effective than one with him at the three. He’d likely feel far more comfortable in that role.

So that’s seemingly why Izzo has made targeting a three such a priority. There are plenty of wing options on the market and he’s pursuing a few of the top transfers at the position, hoping to land one soon.

While getting a big wing who can handle the ball, play defense, and shoot is important for next year’s team, so is bringing in a transfer center. After losing Mady Sissoko to the portal, the Spartans are down to Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, and Jesse McCulloch. I’m not sure that’s a spot that anyone should feel good about heading into next year as it stands. Or maybe Izzo feels that Xavier Booker is more of a center now?

Either way, Michigan State basketball desperately needs help in the post. And here are my ideal transfer center targets.

1. Brandon Garrison, Oklahoma State

I haven’t been shy about letting people know this is my ideal transfer option at center. The former McDonald’s All-American actually played with Jeremy Fears at the All-American Game last year and there could be a rapport there. Besides that, he is just a talented big who played on a mediocre squad and didn’t really get a chance to shine in a strong lineup. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound center averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 57 percent from the floor. He’s only going to get better, too, which is scary. I think he can be a 15 and 10 player for the Spartans and he’d thrive next to Booker in the post. Plus, he’d have three years of eligibility remaining.

2. Oumar Ballo, Arizona

The newest of the center transfers, Arizona’s Oumar Ballo entered the portal on Monday and immediately shot up to the No. 1 spot on the 247Sports rankings. Yes, he’s already the No. 1 transfer on the market. And it’s no surprise as to why. He was a dominant big man for one of the best teams in the country this past season, averaging 12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. And talk about efficiency, he made 66 percent of his field goals this season and has never shot under 62 percent from the floor in a single season in his four-year career. Michigan State basketball would kill for a 7-foot center who dominates on both ends of the floor. Ballo is just that. He’ll have dozens upon dozens of suitors, however.

3. Great Osobor, Utah State

While Great Osobor is listed as a forward and stands just 6-foot-8, he would be just fine playing center for the Spartans. Michigan State has had plenty of undersized centers who have excelled over the years and Osobor has the body type that would be just fine in the Big Ten. Do you remember Trevion Williams of Purdue? Osobor reminds me of a slightly more polished version who could play a similar style and do just about everything well. He weighs in at 250 pounds and moves well for his size. The Utah State transfer averaged 33.7 minutes per game this past season and shot 58 percent from the field. He also averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals. He would be the perfect fit in the green and white — Osobor and Booker could even swap the four and five spots, depending on matchups.

4. Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky

Another brand-new transfer, Aaron Bradshaw unsurprisingly hit the portal right after John Calipari was reported to have taken the Arkansas job. The 7-foot-1 center had a quiet freshman season, averaging just 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He did shoot 58 percent from the floor and he’s not afraid to shoot threes, but he only played 13.8 minutes per game. It seemed like he didn’t quite get the time he expected as a five-star freshman and No. 1 center in the 2023 class. That’s why I don’t see him following Calipari to Arkansas. The New Jersey native wasn’t recruited by Michigan State basketball out of high school, but there was a lot of Big Ten interest. Could Izzo reach out and have a five-star frontcourt? I wish.

5. Cliff Omoruyi, Rutgers

Cliff Omoruyi may sound like a familiar name and that’s because it is. Michigan State has seen him plenty over the past four years at Rutgers and he was a force in the post whenever he played the Spartans. He averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game in his final season with the Scarlet Knights before shockingly hitting the portal. While I don’t see Izzo reaching out to him, I think he’d be the veteran presence that the post needs. A proven center who can rebound, play 25-30 minutes per game, and shoot over 50 percent from the floor? That’s a dream right there. Izzo doesn’t love one-year rentals, but Omoruyi may be worth it.