Tom Izzo offers words of encouragement to Jaden Akins after rough finish to season

Tom Izzo knows that Jaden Akins is much better than what he looked like in the last few weeks of the regular season.

A lot has gone wrong for Michigan State basketball as the regular season has come to an end. This is true on a team level and on an individual level as well. Many players aren’t reaching the expectations we all — and Tom Izzo — had for them this season, and that includes Jaden Akins.

Many expected Akins to take a big step forward this year after a solid sophomore season. Akins was an elite 3-point shooter especially at the end of last year and he was one of the reasons Michigan State made their run to the Sweet 16.

Jaden isn’t the primary scorer for this team, and he doesn’t have to be. But what he needs to be is a solid secondary scoring option who can light it up from beyond the arc. That is what MSU’s been missing from him especially late.

However, it doesn’t sound like Jaden’s struggles are from a lack of effort. Izzo commented on Akins during his press conference on Tuesday, and it sounds like he is hopeful for a turnaround from his star junior.

Tom Izzo offers encouragement to Akins

Izzo is known for being a coach who isn’t afraid to get in his players’ faces. That is a good strategy to motivate your team in some scenarios, but not in Akins’ scenario. When shooters are struggling to hit shots, no amount of yelling or screaming will help. Tom Izzo knows this and instead is offering words of encouragement to the junior.