Nov 25, 2020; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans and Eastern Michigan Eagles stand on the court before a game at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

Report: MSU Eyeing One of Top '26 Prospects, Five-Star PG

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 20, 2025 7:14 PM ET

Michigan State basketball is a historically successful program, not just through wins and banners, but in recruiting from the high school ranks.

That's always been a route Tom Izzo can rely on.

While the transfer portal has made up much of college basketball recruiting, adding talent from the high school level is still the way to go, especially as we see more and more prospects shine in their freshman seasons, including Michigan State's own Jase Richardson.

Izzo is still leaning on this method, and that was further proven in a recent report.

According to League Ready's Sam Kayser, Michigan State was one of several schools to watch class of 2026 five-star point guard Jason Crowe Jr. for Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Session 2 in Memphis, Tennessee this past weekend.

2026 5⭐️ Jason Crowe Jr. tells @LeagueRDY the following programs were into see him at EYBL Session 2 this weekend:

Alabama
Arkansas
Kentucky
Michigan State
LSU
USC
Baylor
UCLA
Texas

Crowe Jr. is the top scorer in the EYBL after two sessions and is one of the top point guards in… pic.twitter.com/feZELcUChC
— Sam Kayser (@247HSHoops) May 19, 2025

Crowe, who plays for Inglewood High School in California, is ranked the No. 4 class of 2026 recruit in California, the No. 2 point guard in his class and the No. 6 overall prospect in his class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Crowe is currently the EYBL's leading scorer, averaging 24.7 points per game for the Oakland Soldiers.

247Sports currently has just one team listed as "warm" on Crowe's interest radar, and that's UCLA, which is no surprise, considering the proximity. The Bruins offered him way back in January of 2023.

Other programs that have offered Crowe include Kansas, Alabama, Louisville, Arkansas and USC.

It's likely that the Spartans were in attendance to watch more prospects besides Crowe, considering he isn't the only top-10 prospect in the EYBL. But they have their eye on him.

Michigan State has, of course, had much success recruiting out of state in the past. Players want to play for Izzo and are aware of the winning culture that the program prides itself on.

While that fell off for a few seasons, the Spartans come off a trip to the Elite Eight and a Big Ten title, and they produced a star in Richardson, who is projected to go in the first round of next month's NBA Draft.

Michigan State should be as appealing a destination as any, especially with Izzo at the helm.

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