{"id":18616,"date":"2023-10-05T01:11:41","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T06:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/?p=18616"},"modified":"2023-10-05T01:11:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T06:11:41","slug":"winning-matters-more-than-minutes-played-to-talented-michigan-state-freshmen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/winning-matters-more-than-minutes-played-to-talented-michigan-state-freshmen\/","title":{"rendered":"Winning matters more than minutes played to talented Michigan State freshmen"},"content":{"rendered":"

East Lansing, Mich. \u2013<\/em> When a large group of talented freshmen join a basketball roster dominated by upperclassmen, the outcome isn\u2019t always positive. At Michigan State, however, the program\u2019s experienced players and newcomers are vocalizing a commitment to working toward something bigger than themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a top program, and we\u2019ve built it into a top program,\u201d Tom Izzo<\/a> said at Michigan State basketball media day earlier this week. \u201cEverybody does it a different way. It\u2019s a blue-collar program. It\u2019s a blue-collar university. I\u2019m damn proud of it, and it\u2019s the way that it is going to stay as long as I\u2019m here. We are going to earn our way. We are going to hopefully get a five star or a four star. But whatever we get, we are going to develop them. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve seen in this group.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michigan State has two five-star freshmen and two additional four-star prospects in its 2023 basketball recruiting class. Collectively Jeremy Fears<\/a><\/strong>, Xavier Booker<\/a><\/strong>, Coen Carr<\/a><\/strong>, and Gehrig Normand<\/a><\/strong> comprise the best basketball recruiting class for the Spartans since Izzo\u2019s 2016 haul of Cassius Winston, Miles Bridges, Josh Langford, and Nick Ward. Program depth entering the 2023-2024 season, however, is much different than it was for the Spartans when Winston, Bridges, Langford, and Ward combined to make 80 starts as first-year players. <\/p>\n

Collective pursuit of common goals by young players and veterans alike has brought new energy and excitement to the Michigan State program. Every player on the Spartan roster is eager to do their part to raise new banners into the already crowded rafters at the Breslin Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy personal expectation is to win, and that\u2019s what I came here to do,\u201d said Normand, a 6-5 shooting guard from Texas, ranked No. 47 overall and No. 4 in Texas by On3. \u201cWe have got a really good team coming back, and I am just excited to win. We\u2019ve got a great schedule. A great group of guys. Just being able to play at high level, and against the team on the schedule we\u2019ve got is amazing. It is going to be fun for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Normand\u2019s outlook is shared by other members of the 2023 recruiting class, and the focus on winning among Spartan freshmen is one of the reasons why the group has been embraced by program veterans at Michigan State.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a great group of guys and we are all friends,\u201d said Carr, an athletic 6-foot-5 wing, ranked No. 23 in the Class of 2023 by On3. \u201cWe all like to have fun off the court, so that part hasn\u2019t been too hard. They welcomed me with open arms when I came here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Returning players are grateful for the way in which Michigan State freshmen have been coachable and willing to take advice during their transition from high school to high major basketball.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying their roles, listening to people when they are talking to them, not thinking they are above anybody else, being coachable, I think that really helps with that bond,\u201d said senior forward Malik Hall<\/a><\/strong> in listing off the qualities displayed by Spartan freshmen that has helped them make a smooth assimilation as first-year players at Michigan State. \u201cAs we continue to grow, us just spending time together is what makes it keep going.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

Michigan State freshmen understand that their roles and the minutes they play will increase as they gain experience and trust within the Spartan program. Fears, whose goal is to be Freshman of the Year in the Big Ten, also understands that his role on a veteran team will evolve as the season unfolds.<\/p>\n

During his time playing with USA Basketball, Fears gained experience playing with teammates that were as talented as him, or in some instances more talented. For Fears, earning his role and making his way is not a new concept.<\/p>\n

\u201cI experienced this with USA Basketball, and AAU with Brad Beal Elite,\u201d Fears said. \u201cI had Nick Smith and Brandon Miller on my team, so playing with those guys has helped me in just knowing the role, and doing whatever you can do to help the team win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carr, the most athletic member of Michigan State\u2019s vaunted recruiting class, has a similar outlook.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally I just want to be a defender, and be an energy guy for the team,\u201d Carr said. \u201cI really don\u2019t mind how many minutes I play. I just want to come in do what I need to do to help the team a lot this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Booker, who was ranked the No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class before he committed to Michigan State, getting better each day is the top priority. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been great so far, with the facilities,\u201d Booker said. \u201cI\u2019m just getting used to the program, and the playing style. My teammates have been very supportive of me and very helpful. They have been there for me. Obviously, I\u2019m new like all the freshmen and I don\u2019t know a lot of stuff, but they\u2019ve been in there helping me every step of the way, and I am definitely appreciative of that. It has been great so far, and I\u2019ve definitely enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The biggest adjustment for Booker to this point has been his transition from playing the five in high school to playing the four at Michigan State. As he gains comfort in that role, Booker believes he can be a valuable contributor as a freshman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I can be very impactful,\u201d Booker said. \u201cI bring a lot to the table. I am lengthy at 6-11. I can dribble the ball, rebound, block shots, defend and do everything. I can definitely make a great impact this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Given the number of players Michigan State has with experience on its roster, barring injury the Spartans will not be forced to put too much on the shoulders of any single member its 2023 recruiting class. Be that as it may, there have been a lot of talented freshmen over the years at Michigan State who came into the program with the willingness to work, and saw their roles grow steadily over the course of the season.<\/p>\n

Several true freshmen over the years at Michigan State have started in Final Fours, including point guards Drew Neitzel and Tum Tum Nairn. Other freshmen starters in Final Four games for Michigan State include Derrick Nix, Korie Lucious, Delvon Roe, and Aaron Henry among others. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Most of those players saw their respective roles evolve over the course of their respective first seasons at Michigan State. As was the case with past Spartan freshmen, Fears, Booker, Carr, and Normand can expect their respective contribution at the end of the season to eclipse their contribution at the beginning.<\/p>\n

The post Winning matters more than minutes played to talented Michigan State freshmen<\/a> appeared first on On3<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

East Lansing, Mich. \u2013 When a large group of talented freshmen join a basketball roster…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18616\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo.wztzfm.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}