SEC Basketball: Way-too-early 2019-20 preseason power rankings
By Dakota Cox
5. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State is going to be an interesting story next year. The biggest question that must be answered for this team is how they can play without Quinndary Weatherspoon. He was their offensive workhorse, and he will have to be replaced for this team to be successful.
Another concern is whether or not Lamar Peters will remain with the team. As a junior, Peters has enough tape to go to the draft, but he still might not be a highly-touted pick. He entered the draft without an agent last year, and he might look to do the same thing in this draft season. If he returns, there are a lot of things pointing up for the Bulldogs.
Either way, I think it’s a safe bet the Nick Weatherspoon will return for his junior year. As his brother graduates, Weatherspoon will be the focal point of what the Bulldogs do offensively. He can score and facilitate efficiently, and he has a blueprint for success laid out by his brother. Pairing Weatherspoon with Tyson Carter will be fun to watch.
The only concern for Mississippi State is their lack of a strong recruiting class. They only have one 4-star prospect in Elias King, and King isn’t in the top 100 prospects of this class. That’s not to say these players won’t develop into productive assets in Bulldog uniforms, but I wouldn’t expect any of them besides King to be key contributions in the coming year. If Mississippi State loses Peters along with Aric Holman and Q. Weatherspoon, look for them to try to find some veterans on the transfer market.