Big Ten Basketball: Updated early power rankings for 2022-23 season

5. Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans are in an interesting spot roster-wise. With freshman guard Max Christie opting to remain in the NBA Draft, that makes the top three scorers from this past season now gone, with both Gabe Brown and Marcus Bingham having moved on too.

That means 6’7 forward Malik Hall is the returning leading scorer on the team with 8.9 ppg off the bench. And yet, he may not even start next season, as Joey Hauser is coming back as well at the power forward position. And that’s part of Michigan’s State’s issue on paper. The four best players on the team play two positions, with Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard both basically point guards.

But with Christie now gone, the team will likely have to play both of them at the same time for large stretches, with four-star freshman guard Tre Holloman as the primary backup. Pierre Brooks II and Jaden Akins will each have plenty of playing time at the wing position as well.

And at center, look for top-40 incoming freshman Jaxon Kohler and returning big Mady Sissoko to share the 40 minutes. They play different games and offer the team different lineup possibilities but in a conference that features several All-American candidates at that position, it’s a current weakness that looms large.

Head coach Tom Izzo is capable of making this roster work and if someone can break out into a 15 ppg scorer, Michigan State won’t have to worry about being a tournament team. But there isn’t enough depth right now to have the leading scorer only go for 12 ppg again. Someone will have to step up in that department.