Barry Sanders is forever a legend in Michigan, as the Detroit Lions great spent his entire career with the organization en route to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now, another Sanders athlete will have his opportunity to make his mark in the Michigan sports community.
Nick Sanders, one of Barry’s sons, is a sophomore shooting guard for the Michigan State basketball team who spent his freshman season as a bench player, without scoring in a game. However, Nick got into the Spartans’ blowout win over visiting Stony Brook on Thursday night, and he scored the first points of his college career with a three-pointer.
Spartans fans were clearly aware of Sanders’s milestone, and they went crazy for his first collegiate points.
First official bucket for Nick Sanders 💚❕ pic.twitter.com/55BU0wJpcN
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) December 22, 2023
Nick Sanders, son of legendary Barry Sanders, gets his first career points for @MSU_Basketball, and the crowd loved it. 💚 pic.twitter.com/uTZdfCgIPH
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 22, 2023
If Sanders had chosen to play at a school in any other state, he probably wouldn’t have received such a loud reaction to his first basket. But since the Detroit Country Day School alum chose to stay in state for college, Sanders has become a fan favorite despite having a limited role with the Spartans.
Sanders now has appeared in 12 total games for Michigan State since 2022, accumulating 14 minutes of playing time.
