Michigan State basketball 2025-26 Season Preview: Projected starting lineup, impact players and rotation explored

For Tom Izzo at Michigan State, the days of the transfer portal are days of chaos. The venerable Spartans coach built his program on stability, developing players over three or four years.

But just because it's unusual for Izzo doesn't mean he's precisely folded up his tent and given up. Off an Elite Eight season, he should have a competitive squad again in 2025-26. Here’s a look at what to expect.

Michigan State 2025-26 basketball season preview

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears will be a key leader on this season's Spartans squad. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Starting lineup

Guard: Jeremy Fears Jr.

Fears had an impressive sophomore season, averaging 7.2 points and 5.4 assists per game. He's made a spot for himself as the clear leader of the offense. He can still stand to hone his perimeter shot a bit, but Fears figures to show another substantial step forward this season as the leader of the Spartan backcourt.

Guard: Trey Fort

A transfer to his fourth D1 school, Fort averaged 14.6 ppg last year at Samford. A 38% 3-point shooter, he's very much capable of putting up points in bunches. As a 6-foot-4 guard, Fort may take some time to get comfortable in Izzo's defensive style of play, but he figures to see plenty of action because of his scoring ability.

Forward: Coen Carr

A valuable bench player a season ago, Carr figures to make the jump into the starting lineup. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 boards per game last season. Carr shot 61% last season, so he's a team-first guy who won't force shots that are less than high percentage. After a strong sophomore season, Carr projects as a double figure scorer and solid rebounder.

Forward: Kaleb Glenn

After a season at Florida Atlantic, the 6-foot-6 Glenn looks like an immediate impact player. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last year for FAU. Glenn also shot 41% from 3-point range, which is intriguing for a Michigan State team that was 336th last year in 3-point makes per game (just 6.1). Glenn might up that single-handedly.

Forward: Jaxon Kohler

The 6-foot-9 senior is a blood-and-guts Izzo kind of player. Last season, he averaged 7.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He is a 37% 3-point shooter, so he can step out on the floor and hit the perimeter shot. But he figures to be a leader on the backboard and around the basket for the Spartans.

Rotation Players

Kur Teng is a returning guard who could see some significant minutes as a perimeter threat. Portal addition Divine Ugochukwu is in from Miami and figures to see significant minutes at guard also. Freshmen Jordan Scott and Cam Ward can contribute at forward. Big guys Carson Cooper and Jesse McCullough are raw but can give capable minutes behind Kohler.

Impact Players

Fears' leadership at point guard will be pivotal, while the two projected starting transfers, Fort and Glenn, will need to add scoring punch. There's no single great scorer on this team, so it'll take a group leadership approach for Michigan State to put up enough points to be competitive in big games.

What do you think of Michigan State's roster for next season? Share your take below in our comments section.