Dec 3, 2019; East Lansing, MI, USA; Former Michigan State Spartans Draymond Green has his jersey retired during half time at Breslin Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-Imagn Images Mike Carter-Imagn Images

Spartans Due for Another Jersey Retirement, Whose Should it Be?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 7:47 PM ET

Michigan State basketball's list of legends, but strangely enough, jersey retirements don't come around often.

The program hasn't retired a jersey since 2019 when it honored Spartan legend Draymond Green in a home game against Duke.

Well, the Blue Devils are set to come to East Lansing again this December, and what better game to end the wait by retiring another one?

The more important question, though, is whose would it be?

Let's take a look at some options:

Cassius Winston (2016-2020)

This seems like the obvious decision. Winston was one of the greatest point guards in program history and is constantly mentioned in the same breath as Mateen Cleaves when debating the second-best behind Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

The two-time All-Big Ten honoree, two-time consensus All-American honoree and 2018-19 Big Ten Player of the Year was part of three consecutive conference titles and helped lead the Spartans to their most recent Final Four appearance in 2019.

On top of all of that, Winston is the Big Ten's all-time leader in career assists.

There are programs that probably would have retired Winston's jersey at least a year after his departure. But as previously said, jersey retirements are a rare occurrence for Michigan State.

Considering how long it took the program to retire Cleaves' (February 2007) and Green's (December 2019), it may still be a couple of years or so until we see the No. 5 be lifted to the rafters of the Breslin Center.

Denzel Valentine (2012-2016)

That leads us to what is a strong case for Valentine, who left the program in 2016.

Like Winston, Valentine was at Michigan State for all four years and also helped lead the Spartans to a Final Four.

What Valentine has over Winston, though, is an Associated Press Player of the Year Award. His run with the Green and White simply does not get mentioned enough.

Valentine was part of back-to-back deep tournament runs, having contributed to a run to the Elite Eight the year prior to that Final Four appearance.

There's no question Valentine's 45 will be up in the rafters someday, and if you base it off who left the program first, his should be the next up.

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