Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts to a play against Louisville during the first half of NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Don’t Count on MSU To Pursue Popular Transfer Portal Name

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Apr 9, 2026 6:00 AM ET

There are a lot of names that certainly seem like names for Michigan State to pursue.

One big one is shooting guard John Blackwell , who is ranked third among all players in the portal right now, according to On3. Blackwell averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game this past season.

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At first glance, Blackwell going to MSU could make sense. He's from Bloomfield Hills and slipped under every high-major team's radar except for the Badgers'. Pairing someone with that scoring prowess and Jeremy Fears Jr. in the same backcourt feels like a dream.

Don't expect the Spartans to really be involved here, though. With how things stand at the moment, the fit might not just be there.

Limited Roster Space

As of Thursday, Michigan State has 14 players penciled in its 2026-27 roster. The limit is 15. That means, unless someone on the team right now enters the portal or surprises some and turns pro, the Spartans can only add one player via the portal this offseason.

MSU has one pressing need, and it's not at shooting guard. It's at center. Blackwell is a very, very talented player and will almost certainly be getting a cushy NIL deal wherever he goes, but there simply isn't room for him on the roster right now.

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Theoretically, you can add Blackwell anyway and then tell a player to go elsewhere, but that isn't really something Tom Izzo does. Forcing another player into the portal to get one year of Blackwell, someone who has been playing for a conference rival, would just go against Izzo's general principles.

Backcourt Still Looks Strong

Even though no additions are anticipated in Michigan State's backcourt, that doesn't mean things still look up for MSU. Fears is expected back, and he'll have more backup than this past year with the return from injury for Divine Ugochukwu and with four-star prospect Carlos Medlock Jr. coming in.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Shooting guard, Blackwell's position, also has a litany of options. Jordan Scott played it later on in the 2025-26 season, but the Spartans also have three-point specialist Kur Teng. Incoming freshman Jasiah Jervis also plays there, and he's the highest-ranked 2026 recruit Michigan State has, ranked 26th overall on the 247Sports Composite.

In conclusion, while it would be great to see MSU pursue a player of Blackwell's caliber, it just doesn't make sense at the moment. As far as the portal goes, keep an eye on that center position and nothing else unless someone currently rostered leaves.