Big Ten Basketball: Projecting each team’s key player production for 2021-22

Michigan State – Malik Hall and Mady Sissoko

Decrease in production: Malik Hall

As the No.55 recruit in the 2019 class, Malik Hall has had two seasons under Head Coach Tom Izzo and his numbers pale in comparison to similarly ranked recruits such as No. 72 James Bouknight and No .51 Jalen Wilson. Over his two first seasons, Hall has combined for a total of nine starts as his season-long average for minutes played has not exceeded 18 per game.

The 2021-22 season looks no more promising as Gabe Brown will fill in the starting spot vacated by Aaron Henry, Northeastern transfer Tyson Walker will become the starting point guard as Rocket Watts transfers out, No.17 ranked freshman Max Christie takes the graduating Josh Langford’s role and Joey Hauser will bump Malik Hall to the bench at power forward.

Even at 6’8 and ten pounds heavier at 225, Hall’s five points a game does not compare to Hauser’s as the highest returning scorer at ten per game.

Increase in production: Mady Sissoko

After arguing Hall is too small and does not score enough for his position to warrant enough minutes to produce, it seems almost ridiculous to state the 6’9 / 235 pound Sissoko will average more than the approximately five minutes he averaged last season.

Sissoko – however undersized he might be to defend Big Ten centers such as Hunter Dickinson, Kofi Cockburn, and Trevion Williams –  is a rim protector. Sissoko’s interior defense is much needed as the Spartans had difficulty defending Big Ten centers last season and now 14 game starter Thomas Kithier has transferred.

Sissoko will not put up his ‘per 40 minutes’ numbers of eight points and thirteen rebounds, he will, however, average at least a field goal attempt per game this season, which he did not during the 2020-21 season.