Michigan State's Pierre Brooks, center celebrates his 3-pointer with Julius Marble II, right, and A.J. Hoggard during the second half in the game against Ferris State on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. 211027 Msu Ferris 192a Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Spartan Pulls Up to Moneyball Pro-Am

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 6:50 PM ET

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo prides himself in the fact that players come back to his program.

And it's not just those who graduated from Michigan State. You see it with those who have transferred out, too. AJ Hoggard, for example, came to watch the Spartans in the NCAA Tournament last season, despite having transferred to Vanderbilt the previous offseason.

On Thursday, former Spartan guard/forward Pierre Brooks II pulled up to the Moneyball Pro-Am. He played with Team Tri-Star Trust, teaming up with Michigan State redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. He scored 34 points and made five 3-pointers.

"I wasn't expecting him to come up there until I saw him," Fears said. "He was like, 'I'm playing with y'all.' So, it was good to have him on our squad, play with him, get some shots up. I never had a chance to, so just being able to run with him in Pro-Am. Good he came back, people still like him and love him, so that was great."

Fears came to Michigan State after Brooks had transferred to Butler, but he got to know him to an extent beforehand when he was being recruited.

"I kind of got to know him a little bit, but when it was my time, he was moved on," Fears said. "So, really great to see him back again."

Brooks played high school ball for Frederick Douglass Academy in Detroit and was one of the top class of 2021 prospects in the state as a four-star recruit.

He would play in 25 games for the Spartans in his freshman season but saw little playing time, averaging just 3.7 minutes per game. He then made five starts in 30 games in his second season with the program, averaging just 3.6 points per game in 14.3 minutes of action.

Former Spartan guard Pierre Brooks II playing in Moneyball tonight pic.twitter.com/Bctb2fV0mH
— Aidan Champion (@champion_aidan) July 25, 2025

Brooks then transferred to Butler, where he spent his final two seasons of college. He returned to the Breslin Center in his first season with the program (2023-24) and would drop 13 points as the Spartans came away with a 20-point win.

Just one week remains in Moneyball, with playoffs starting Tuesday.

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