Mar 30, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the second half in the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament against the Auburn Tigers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Five-Star 7'1'' Center Visits MSU

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 12:00 PM ET

This past weekend, five-star center Ethan Taylor completed his official visit with Michigan State. HC Tom Izzo will stop at nothing to continue to build his legacy and keep the Spartans in the mix for one of the top teams in the country. Should they land this 2026 monster, they'd be right back on track.

Taylor stands 7'1'', 230-pounds. He currently attends Link Academy in Branson, MO. With a crucial decision ahead of him, MSU marked the final visit on his calendar.

Whether he chooses the Spartans or not, Taylor saw enough after he visited with Izzo that he cancelled an upcoming visit to Kentucky. Cancelling that visit may not directly coincide with how well his MSU visit went, but it's a strong indicator that he's made up his mind, and a decision is coming soon.

247Sports Composite ranks Taylor as a five-star, and he's the No. 1 player in Missouri. In the 2026 class, he's the No. 2 center and is ranked No. 24 overall in the nation. At this time, MSU, Kansas, and Indiana seem to be the top three schools in the running. That said, 247Sports Justin Thind confirmed the Spartans have a better offer than the Hoosiers.

While the Jayhawks could make a case for Taylor to be their Hunter Dickinson replacement, Kansas already has a four-star center coming in for their '26 class. As it stands, Michigan State does not have any commitments. In fact, both of their centers are for seniors. Izzo's need for a center has never been greater, so landing Taylor is a must.

Four-star '26 C Ethan Taylor breaks down Michigan State visit:

‘I don't think I have ever experienced something like that night'..

(On3+): https://t.co/Jn7GVEfcQu pic.twitter.com/dNfN8Xm6ET
— Jason Killop (@JasonKillop) October 7, 2025

The Importance of Adding Taylor

"We went over to Coach Izzo’s house for a little team thing, and we ended up making pizzas,” Taylor said. “The players are all pretty cool. All of them were very welcoming. I got to talk to each of them individually at some point. They weren’t cold or standoffish or full of ego. They were all really warm and welcoming to me, just treating me like I was one of the players.”

Taylor confirmed just how interested Izzo is and how busy the veteran coach has been to bring the five-star to MSU, "They’ve been recruiting me since the end of Peach Jam. We hear from the coaching staff so much. I don’t think I’ve heard from a head coach as much as I’ve heard from Coach Izzo, so I think that speaks volumes. It shows a lot of interest and want, and I really appreciate that."

On3's Jason Killop was unable to get a date out of Taylor as to when he would announce his commitment. Knowing he cancelled his Kentucky visit, it's only a matter of time before Spartan fans can figure out if they'll be celebrating or not.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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