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Michigan State's Joshua Langford looks on during warmups before the Spartans game against Michigan on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. 200105 Msu Michgan 003a Nick King/Lansing State Journal, Lansing State Journal via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Notable MSU Basketball Injuries in Recent Memory

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jun 23, 2025 8:03 PM ET

Michigan State basketball took a major hit last week when transfer junior forward Kaleb Glenn tore his patellar tendon. The former Florida Atlantic forward will miss the entire 2025-26 season, a loss that serves as a significant setback for a program that will be looking to defend its Big Ten crown.

Let's take a look at some other notable injuries that the program has had to adapt to in recent years.

Jeremy Fears Jr. (2023-24)

Fears was anticipated to be a standout in his freshman season with the Spartans, but the former four-star prospect would suffer a gunshot wound to the leg during Christmas break of his first season with the program.

He had played 12 games before the injury and would have to miss the rest of the season. Fears took a medical redshirt and returned to play in 36 of the Spartans' 37 games this past season, starting in each appearance.

How did the Spartans do without him?

Michigan State finished the season 20-15 and was sent home with a loss to 1-seed North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Joshua Langford (2018-19, 2019-20)

Langford, a highly touted prospect from the 2016 recruiting class that most major outlets had as a five-star, had an unlucky collegiate career.

As a junior, Langford suffered a left foot injury that would require surgery. He missed the rest of the season after playing just 13 games.

Langford would get surgery on the same foot in December of 2019 and missed the entire 2019-20 campaign. He was able to redshirt and return for one final season and put together a pretty solid final season, all things considered. But when looking back on his career, fans will always ask, "What could have been?"

How did the Spartans do without him?

Michigan State won back-to-back Big Ten titles those years Langford had to sit out and made it to the Final Four in 2019.

One has to wonder how much more the Spartans could have done that season with Langford contributing.

Kyle Ahrens (2017-18, 2018-19)

Ahrens showed promise in his sophomore season and was expected to be key for the Spartans has he transitioned to an upperclassman.

But Ahrens suffered a foot fracture just before his junior season and would miss that entire campaign. He took a medical redshirt and returned for the 2018-19 season.

Misfortune struck again, though, when Ahrens sprained his foot in the 2019 Big Ten Tournament title game against Michigan. He would miss the rest of that game and the Spartans' Final Four run.

Ahrens came back for one more year and would play 27 games for the Green and White, contributing to another Big Ten title.

How did the Spartans do without him?

Michigan State won what was the first of three-straight conference titles that 2017-18 season and, as previously mentioned, went to the Final Four that following season.

As was the case with Langford, Ahrens perhaps things would have gone differently for the Spartans had they had Ahrens during that 2019 tournament run.

Keep up with all your Michigan State basketball news when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts when you join our vibrant community group, Go Green Go White, as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.