Michigan State Basketball: Spartans 2021-22 season preview and outlook
By Ryan Kay
The Starting Five Wings and Guards
PG – JR Tyson Walker
He is a transfer from Northeastern and will be the starting point guard for the Spartans to start the season. He at least, at the beginning of the season, will share minutes at the point with A.J. Hoggard as the Spartans have depth this season at the point guard position. He is an underrated outside shooter and he is shown last season that he gets good looks at the basket and has proven that he has the ability to create a shot for himself.
His three-point shooting for a point guard is good as he shot just over 35% from beyond the arch last season on just over 110 attempts. Walker is a proven ball-handler that will he produce the number of assists per game that the Spartans were missing last season from their point guard play. He averaged just under five assists per game last season.
He can play well on both ends of the court and his defense could easily lead him to be named to the Big Ten all-defensive team at the end of the season. He is new to the program and even though he may not display the leadership of a Gabe Brown or Malik Hall, his explosiveness and confidence will make him a productive if not great point guard this season.
Watson doesn’t fit the mold of a Cassius Winston or Magic Johnson but he could end up producing similar numbers like those who have a similar style of play like past Spartan point guards like Travis Trice and Kalin Lucas. Time will tell how well he will play this season but he should not only be the starting point guard the entire season but also one of the top four scorers for the Spartans this season.
SF – SR Gabe Brown
As a junior last season, Brown continued to slightly improve his game and he has shown maturity with being named one of the two captains for this season. He didn’t start every game last season but did start the majority of games and is expected to be a full-time starter this season.
Brown’s defense has continued to improve for most of the season last year and he did display athleticism on both ends of the floor last season. He should see a significant increase in playing time and points per game from last season as he averaged just over 20 minutes a game and slightly over seven points a game last year.
Izzo and the Spartan coaching staff still seem to be confident in his potential to contribute more this season. He will have to compete for playing time with Malik Hall and Pierre Brooks but there will be games where he will play well and be the leading scorer for the Spartans this season. Brown is expected to average 10 or more points a game and be a productive player on the offensive end and he has the athleticism to continue to improve as a defender this year.
He has shown the ability to score in quick spirits and he is expected to be more consistent on offense in Big Ten play. If he has a good and productive season, Brown could get a chance in the NBA similar to that of former Spartan Aaron Henry who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. The more playing time he gets, his points and rebounds per game should increase this season.
SG – FR Max Christie
The biggest unknown and the player with the most upside is Max Christie who is a true freshman who was a top-rated five-star recruit and he played well in the Spartans first exhibition game of the season against Ferris State scoring 17 points in only 19 minutes of play. He is expected to start the season at the shooting guard position and Izzo and his coaching staff has high expectations for him this season as a true freshman.
Michigan State hopes he will be the second-leading scorer for the Spartans this season or even the leading scorer if he can be a Gary Harris type of player. Christie has an opportunity that not many true freshmen have under Izzo and his system that favors playing veterans more so than freshman and sophomores. However, he is a talented player and Michigan State needs his scoring this season.
If he can be a type of player that can come off of ball screens and make those mid-range jumpers as well as be a consistent three-point threat, he can average 15 or more points a game. He will share playing time with fellow true freshman Jaden Akins, but Christie should average close to 30 minutes a game.
If Christie can become a good, consistent defender and if he can average approximately 15 or more points a game, the Spartans have the potential to be a top-five team in the Big Ten this season.
However, the starters are not the only ones that will help guide the Michigan State Spartans to a potential NCAA tournament run. Let’s look at the players who most likely will come off of the bench to help in the pursuit of being a top echelon team in the Big Ten this season.