Michigan State basketball ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25

This is a big jump for the Spartans as they were left unranked in the final AP Top 25 last season. This ranking, however, is no surprise at all. With all the pieces returning and new additions joining the squad, it would have been more surprising seeing the Spartans outside the top five. AJ Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins deciding to come back for another season is one reason why the Spartans are getting a ton of love this offseason. But the more important improvement to the roster construction has me even more excited.

Depth improvement

The Spartans drastic improvement in their depth I believe is the biggest reason for this ranking. Last season, our depth, or lack thereof, was the biggest reason for our struggles. That should not be a problem this season. I already mentioned the star power returning at the top of the rotation, but what about the guys off the bench?

Many of the players coming off the bench will be familiar faces. Jaxon Kohler, Tre Holloman, Malik Hall, and Carson Cooper will all get significant minutes this year. Malik Hall is a fifth year senior, so nobody should doubt what he can bring to the table. However, the other three will all be sophomores and their production is a little less known. I do expect each of them to make big improvements this offseason, which will cause our second unit to be significantly better than it was a season ago.

That was the extent of our depth last season.

This coming season, however, will see a lot more reliable depth than that. Michigan State’s incoming freshman class is No. 5 in the country and they will be ready to contribute day one.

Five-star Xavier Booker headlines the class and will provide the extra depth and star power that the frontcourt was so desperately missing last season. ‘The Floor General’ Jeremy Fears and uber-athletic Coen Carr will also see plenty of time in the guard rotation as well. The last freshman, Gehrig Normand, may not see as much time as the other freshman this year. That does not mean he isn’t talented, it more speaks to how deep the depth of our roster is.

The rest of ESPN’s rankings

Purdue is the only other Big Ten team ranked coming in at No. 3. The Boilermakers also return almost all of their production, so that is no surprise to see. Kansas, Duke, and UConn round out the top five.

Michigan State plays Duke in this year’s Champions Classic, so that will be the biggest non-conference game of the year by far. USC, who will be joining the conference next year, is ranked No. 21 in this preseason projection. Michigan State’s schedule is not final yet, but there have been rumors about a neutral site game against Baylor. The Bears are No. 20 in this poll and will be another tough matchup for the Spartans. Michigan State is also schedule to play Arizona on Thanksgiving Day and the Wildcats come in at No. 11.

Tom Izzo has as great of a chance as ever to win his second national championship this year. He has countless pieces at his disposal to help make another run in March. If these rankings mean anything, then Michigan State will likely be there at the end in March Madness.