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The transfer portal is in full swing, with college basketball's version of free agency in full swing, there are a lot of moving parts going on in roster management. For Michigan State, they are in the market for a starting center to replace the production that they are losing from Carson Cooper's departure via graduation.
With the portal opening, Spartans Wire identified 10 potential candidates for that starting center position, but with more information coming out, it is starting to become clear who the Spartans are targeting.
As of now, after a couple of targets fell off the board, it appears that there are four candidates at the center position that Spartans are taking a closer look at. There are no visits scheduled just yet, although the coaching staff is working at putting those together, which is the last key step in landing a prospect.
Here, we have compiled a list of centers that the Spartans have been connected with:
Note: this list will be updated as more players get known, or commit elsewhere.
After the portal opened it was reported that Michigan State had made initial contact with North Dakota State's Treysen Anderson and New Mexico's Tomislav Buljan. While this was true, Anderson has since committed to Butler, while Buljan is headed to Maryland.
The most obvious candidate to be the No. 1 portal want for Michigan State, the Detroit (MI) native is one of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal.
Sherrell spent two years at Alabama, and in this most recent year, averaged 11.1 points 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He is someone that not only can provide offense and rebounding, but he fits the bill defensively and would fit right into the MSU defense while adding a high level of rim protection. Sherrell ranked 14th nationally in blocks per game.
As of now, the market for Sherrell includes a ton of blue blood programs, with visits still being sorted out.
A player that may be 1b on the Spartans big board alongside Sherrell, SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu is someone the coaching staff has taking a keen interest in. A 7-foot-2, 265 monster from Istanbul, Turkey, he has power conference experience that has been highly productive.
In two years with the Mustangs, where he started all 66 games he played in, Yigitoglu averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game on 58.3% shooting. He increased all of his numbers from year one to year two, showing a more disciplined style of post play.
For most of the week, South Carolina was the presumed leader to land to the SMU transfer, but it seems as if the Spartans are making a push to put themselves firmly in the mix.
Another 7-foot-2 big that the Spartans have taken a massive liking to is Anton Bonke, a transfer from Charlotte. A former JUCO product that spent his first major season in college basketball at Providence, Bonke had to go through a learning curve and could not find his footing in the Big East. Following a transfer to the 49ers, the big man thrived, putting himself back on the radar of high majors.
A native of Port Vila, Vanuatu, the big man averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game this past season. Ranking in the 94th-percentile for block rate, as well as the 97th percentile in DReb% and OReb%, this is a big man that fits the exact style of play Tom Izzo wants.
As of now, it is not really known who is interested in the big man besides MSU, but it is rumored that Kansas is involved.
Another North Dakota State big man the Spartans have reportedly been in contact with, and obviously are very familiar with, Noah Fedderson is a post player that provides an old school level of offense.
A 9.3-point, 5.0 rebound and 1.0 blocks per game guy, Fedderson is a low post player that has paint ability on both ends of the floor. A 6-foot-10 big from Menomonie, Wisc., he shot just over 60% from two-point range this season.
As of now, the level of interest MSU has is unknown, but it is known that Feddersen is taking a visit to Colorado this weekend.
This is an unconfirmed prospect at this very moment. With that caveat, social media has been taken by storm that the Spartans and Bidunga may be in contact with one another, and with how big of a prospect he is, that is something worth metnioning.
The Kansas transfer averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in a breakout sophomore season. He has a list of suitors that spans the entire country and is on a visit to Louisville this weekend.
Until something concrete comes out here, it is not worth mentioning the Jayhawk transfer as a target.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy
This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Transfer portal centers Michigan State has been in contact with
Continue reading...
With the portal opening, Spartans Wire identified 10 potential candidates for that starting center position, but with more information coming out, it is starting to become clear who the Spartans are targeting.
As of now, after a couple of targets fell off the board, it appears that there are four candidates at the center position that Spartans are taking a closer look at. There are no visits scheduled just yet, although the coaching staff is working at putting those together, which is the last key step in landing a prospect.
Here, we have compiled a list of centers that the Spartans have been connected with:
Note: this list will be updated as more players get known, or commit elsewhere.
Players committed elsewhere
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After the portal opened it was reported that Michigan State had made initial contact with North Dakota State's Treysen Anderson and New Mexico's Tomislav Buljan. While this was true, Anderson has since committed to Butler, while Buljan is headed to Maryland.
Aidan Sherrell (Alabama)
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The most obvious candidate to be the No. 1 portal want for Michigan State, the Detroit (MI) native is one of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal.
Sherrell spent two years at Alabama, and in this most recent year, averaged 11.1 points 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. He is someone that not only can provide offense and rebounding, but he fits the bill defensively and would fit right into the MSU defense while adding a high level of rim protection. Sherrell ranked 14th nationally in blocks per game.
As of now, the market for Sherrell includes a ton of blue blood programs, with visits still being sorted out.
Samet Yigitoglu (SMU)
You must be registered for see images attach
A player that may be 1b on the Spartans big board alongside Sherrell, SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu is someone the coaching staff has taking a keen interest in. A 7-foot-2, 265 monster from Istanbul, Turkey, he has power conference experience that has been highly productive.
In two years with the Mustangs, where he started all 66 games he played in, Yigitoglu averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game on 58.3% shooting. He increased all of his numbers from year one to year two, showing a more disciplined style of post play.
For most of the week, South Carolina was the presumed leader to land to the SMU transfer, but it seems as if the Spartans are making a push to put themselves firmly in the mix.
Anton Bonke (Charlotte)
You must be registered for see images
Another 7-foot-2 big that the Spartans have taken a massive liking to is Anton Bonke, a transfer from Charlotte. A former JUCO product that spent his first major season in college basketball at Providence, Bonke had to go through a learning curve and could not find his footing in the Big East. Following a transfer to the 49ers, the big man thrived, putting himself back on the radar of high majors.
A native of Port Vila, Vanuatu, the big man averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game this past season. Ranking in the 94th-percentile for block rate, as well as the 97th percentile in DReb% and OReb%, this is a big man that fits the exact style of play Tom Izzo wants.
As of now, it is not really known who is interested in the big man besides MSU, but it is rumored that Kansas is involved.
Noah Feddersen (North Dakota State)
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Another North Dakota State big man the Spartans have reportedly been in contact with, and obviously are very familiar with, Noah Fedderson is a post player that provides an old school level of offense.
A 9.3-point, 5.0 rebound and 1.0 blocks per game guy, Fedderson is a low post player that has paint ability on both ends of the floor. A 6-foot-10 big from Menomonie, Wisc., he shot just over 60% from two-point range this season.
As of now, the level of interest MSU has is unknown, but it is known that Feddersen is taking a visit to Colorado this weekend.
Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
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This is an unconfirmed prospect at this very moment. With that caveat, social media has been taken by storm that the Spartans and Bidunga may be in contact with one another, and with how big of a prospect he is, that is something worth metnioning.
The Kansas transfer averaged 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in a breakout sophomore season. He has a list of suitors that spans the entire country and is on a visit to Louisville this weekend.
Until something concrete comes out here, it is not worth mentioning the Jayhawk transfer as a target.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy
This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Transfer portal centers Michigan State has been in contact with
Continue reading...
