NCAA Basketball: Top 25 impact freshmen classes for 2023-24 season

4. Michigan State Spartans

Coach Tom Izzo has opted to avoid the transfer portal for the past two years and instead, focused on high school prospects. And he’s brought in one of his best classes in the past decade, including a five-star recruit in Xavier Booker.

Listed at 6’10 and 210 pounds, Booker is ranked in the top-15 overall and one of the top offensive frontcourt players in the entire class. He can score both inside and out and can spread the floor at a high level. He can play both center and power forward and would be a nice compliment to Mady Sissoko, who is more of a pure defender.

Michigan State also has a pair of four-star wings in Gehrig Normand and Coen Carr. Normand is a quality shooter with “3 and D” potential, while Carr is one of the best overall athletes in the class at 6’7 and 200 pounds. Plus, with Malik Hall recovering from an injury, Carr has a chance to get immediate playing time.

A good case can be made that top-50 point guard Jeremy Fears will end up being the best player from this group overall. He’s the kind of ball-handler that fits well with Coach Izzo and his system and once Tyson Walker is gone after next season, can eventually run the offense himself.