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NCAA Basketball: Teams impacted most by unique 2020 offseason

By Drew Schmelzer

ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on in the first half of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans looks on in the first half of the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 17: Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 17: Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

1. NCAA Basketball program hurt most by unique offseason –  Michigan State

There are so many reasons that the Spartans should be good next year. Tom Izzo and his annual consistency is reason number one, but he also returns at least six guys (if Xavier Tillman and Aaron Henry return it will be eight) who played key minutes last season and brings in a recruiting class, that while small, contains two top-75 players in the 2020 class in 6’9 Mady Sissoko and 6’3 AJ Hoggard. That said, the second Cassius Winston received his diploma in May, the entire complexion of the program changed, and to ignore that would be in poor form for Spartan fans.

In his four years in green and white, Winston averaged more than 5 assists per game each season, something nobody has ever done in that uniform. They won the Big Ten in each of his last three seasons, a feat Michigan St hadn’t reached since 2012. Those results directly correlate to Winston, and as a junior and senior he became the primary scoring option and the only player Izzo would trust with the ball in his hands in clutch moments.

This offseason was one that sophomore guard and Winston’s heir apparent Rocket Watts (9.0 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 1.7 Ast) needed to work with Hoggard to find the backcourt chemistry necessary to replace Winston and make a fourth straight Big Ten title a possibility in East Lansing. This summer was the time to see where former Clarkston High School star and fan-favorite Foster Loyer (2.9 Pts, 0.5 Reb, 0.9 Ast) fits into the rotation next to Watts and Hoggard. Now, Izzo probably won’t know that answer until the mid-way point in the season, and with Big Ten games being played in December that is a problem.

Even IF Tillman returns, I’m not sure it helps in a quest for a Big Ten Title or a Final Four. The Spartans are loaded at forward and center even without him. Aaron Henry, Gabe Brown, Malik Hall, Marcus Bingham, Thomas Kithier, and Julius Marble could hold down the frontcourt on their own without Tillman. On top of those reinforcements, Joey Hauser, the former top-50 recruit, and Marquette transfer is eligible AND the previously mentioned Sissoko is expected to remind people in East Lansing of Delvon Roe with a higher ceiling. There is no reason to worry about the frontcourt at Michigan St but without Winston, there certainly is cause for concern in the backcourt.

The loss of a multi-year starting point guard is something that would set a lot of teams back, but Cassius Winston was worth so much more than anyone else at that position. In the past couple of weeks early top 25s have come out from expert after expert and everyone I have seen includes Michigan State. Despite the gobs of talent, I am not ready to go there especially considering the complexities of this socially distanced offseason. Life without Cassius is about to be a reality in East Lansing, and a lot of Spartan fans are going to have a rude awakening.

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