Michigan State basketball has put together a prized 2023 recruiting class, and it’s considered one of the best in the country, according to ESPN.
ESPN released updated recruiting rankings for the 2023 class with the top 25 classes highlighted. Michigan State cracked the top 25 rankings and landed near the top.
Michigan State’s 2023 class consists of five-star center Xavier Booker, four-star point guard Jeremy Fears, four-star power forward Coen Carr and four-star small forward Gehrig Normand. All four prospects are listed among the top 75 prospects in the nation.
See where Michigan State lands in the updated recruiting team rankings from ESPN below:
25
Marquette
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“With a year under his belt and back in his home state of Wisconsin, Shaka Smart has put together a strong three-man class. Tre Norman is a versatile downhill guard who thrives on attacking the basket when the defense switches; he is strong enough to overpower smaller guards and too fast for bigger defenders. …”
24
Indiana
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“The Hoosiers landed a top-10 class in the 2022 cycle — a group that featured top-25 recruits Malik Reneau and Jalen Hood-Schifino — and Mike Woodson has them back in the national rankings for 2023. …”
23
Notre Dame
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Mike Brey and his staff are diligent in bringing in talent and focusing on players’ abilities to execute, score without running plays, shooting with confidence behind the arc and displaying high basketball instincts. This group resonates with that, led by SF Brady Dunlap. …”
22
Penn State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Micah Shrewsberry’s first full recruiting class with the Nittany Lions ended up just outside the top 25, but Penn State is comfortably in the rankings as the early signing period nears. There are three four-star recruits currently committed, led by ESPN 100 center Carey Booth. …”
21
Georgia
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Mike White is a veteran of the SEC after his successful run at Florida. In his first full recruiting class at Georgia, he has made statement in rebuilding the program with two talented and coachable ESPN 100 prospects with positional size who will ignite the Bulldogs. …”
20
Vanderbilt
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“The Commodores have three solid players who could play early and develop together. ESPN 100 PG Isaiah West, who is scheduled to return from a torn ACL midway through his senior season, was playing at a high level both behind and inside the arc and had demonstrated strong passing abilities for making assists. …”
19
Cincinnati
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“The Bearcats made a late push into the first edition of the rankings with the addition of Edgerrin James in early October. James, better known as “Jizzle” and the son of former NFL star Edgerrin James, is a tough, fearless, 6-foot-1 point guard who stays in attack mode. …”
18
Louisville
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Kenny Payne’s strength as a recruiter — he consistently contributed to top-ranked classes during his time at Kentucky — was one of his biggest selling points when Louisville was looking for a Chris Mack replacement. And while he hasn’t delivered a top-five recruit yet, the Cardinals do have two ESPN 100 prospects committed for 2023. …”
17
Baylor
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“The Bears should be loaded on the perimeter this season, and Scott Drew already has two more guards lined up in the 2023 class. Five-star Texas wing Ja’Kobe Walter is a big-time scorer who put up nearly 23 points per game on the Adidas circuit last spring; he has great size for the position and can score at all three levels. …”
16
Houston
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Kelvin Sampson and his staff have built Houston into a national contender with a 2021 Final Four run and last season’s Elite Eight appearance. His 2023 recruiting class has toughness, size and versatility. No. 77 Joseph Tugler is one of the best rebounders in the country, plays through contact and finishes like a veteran. …”
15
UCLA
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Remember the questions when Mick Cronin took over in Westwood about whether the former Cincinnati coach could attract elite talent to UCLA? Those have been answered time and time again over the past couple of seasons, including by a top-five recruiting class in 2022. …”
14
Kansas State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“First-year head coach Jerome Tang built a reputation as a skilled and tireless recruiter, as well as an impressive teacher of the game, when he helped build Baylor into a national champion. He looks to have similar success at Kansas State. …”
13
Illinois
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“For the fourth straight year, Brad Underwood has secured multiple ESPN 100 prospects in his recruiting class. The Fighting Illini landed summer stock-riser Amani Hansberry in late August. …”
12
Maryland
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Kevin Willard’s three-player class form a big statement. The Terps are prioritizing recruiting in the DMV area, and this is only the beginning. No. 54 SF DeShawn Harris-Smith and No. 65 SF Jamie Kaiser are from nearby Virginia, while four-star SG Jahnathan Lamothe is from in-state Baltimore. …”
11
Oklahoma State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Mike Boynton had an impressive two-month recruiting run from early July to mid-September, a stretch in which the Cowboys netted four commitments. It started with the lone ESPN 100 prospect in the group, four-star center Brandon Garrison. …”
10
Ole Miss
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Last year, Ole Miss finished strong with the 12th-ranked class. Now, the Rebels are in the top 10. Coach Kermit Davis has been successful in his backyard, winning an in-state battle for PG Josh Hubbard, the No. 1 prospect in the state of Mississippi. …”
9
Xavier
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“It hasn’t taken long for Sean Miller, who landed top-seven classes in seven straight seasons at Arizona, to make an impact on the recruiting trail for the Musketeers. Xavier’s 2023 class is headlined by two ESPN 100 prospects, Trey Green and Dailyn Swain. Green, a 5-9 point guard, had a terrific spring and summer, showing capable playmaking ability and making better than 40% of his 3s. …”
8
Tennessee
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Since his arrival in Knoxville, Rick Barnes has been relentless on the recruiting trail. Tennessee’s recruiting class had a productive summer. Freddie Dilione went from No. 98 to No. 27 because of his secure scoring ability with excellent positional size at 6-5. …”
7
Iowa State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“After building the Cyclones’ Sweet 16 team primarily via the transfer portal — Tyrese Hunter the obvious exception — T.J. Otzelberger has switched tactics and gone after some big names in the 2023 class. Top-10 recruit Omaha Biliew became the program’s highest-ranked commitment in the modern recruiting era when he picked Iowa State in late July… “
6
Ohio State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“The Buckeyes had Bronny James on campus for a visit in early September, but the eldest son of LeBron James has yet to make an announcement. Still, Chris Holtmann and staff have put together impressive back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes, landing seven ESPN 100 prospects who fit their style of play and team culture. … “
5
UConn
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Dan Hurley and his staff did their work early in the 2023 class, securing five commitments before the end of September. The first commitment was the best of the group: top-25 point guard Stephon Castle. Castle possesses great size at 6-6 and is an excellent passer and decision-maker with the ball in his hands. …”
4
Oregon
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Oregon has a talented trio of ESPN prospects on the books for next season and currently the best early class in the Pac-12. No. 12 Kwame Evans and No. 15 Mookie Cook have terrific position size. At 6-foot-9, Evans, a left-handed forward, demonstrates outstanding ball skills with a shooting touch and great versatility. …”
3
Michigan State
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Four commitments, four ESPN 100 prospects. The Spartans have an impressive 2023 cycle thus far with a group that gets them back on the right foot after not landing a top-25 class in 2022. Xavier Booker is the big name. By far the biggest stock-riser of the spring and summer, Booker went from unranked to the No. 3 overall prospect in the country off the back of elite performances on the grassroots circuit and an MVP showing at the Pangos All-American Camp. …”
2
Kentucky
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“Since John Calipari became head coach at Kentucky in 2009, the Wildcats have had the No. 1 or No. 2 class in all but three seasons. No. 2 recruit Justin Edwards challenged for the top spot with his competitive nature, versatile defense and a highly productive summer offensively. Edwards scores by finalizing plays inside, along with a hard straight line face up game and 3-point shot. …”
1
Duke
Thoughts on class from ESPN:
“In Jon Scheyer’s first recruiting class after being named Mike Krzyzewski’s successor, the Blue Devils landed the No. 1 class in the country. And in Scheyer’s second recruiting class, Duke is atop the rankings once again. As mentioned earlier, it’s not a lock the Blue Devils end up at No. 1 given some of Kentucky’s remaining targets, but it’s comfortably the best class in the country right now. …”
