Analyst Jon Rothstein breaks down Michigan State's rebuild under Tom Izzo this season: "A nucleus of returning players with great promise"

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is one of the longest-tenured coaches in college basketball. He has led the Spartans since 1995, helping them win a national championship in 2000. He has been on the coaching staff since 1983 in various roles.

This past season, the Spartans had their best run in March Madness since 2019, reaching the Elite Eight before getting eliminated by Auburn. Heading into next season, they are in a bit of a rebuild because of how many players they lost.

Despite the losses, there is a lot of optimism around this Michigan State squad. On Monday, analyst Jon Rothstein broke down his feelings on the Spartans and why he still thinks they can be competitive next season and beyond.

"Michigan State's always going to be consistent under Tom Izzo," Rothstein said (Timestamp 5:55). "The Spartans do not return a double-figure scorer from last year's team that went all the way to the Elite Eight and lost to Auburn in the regional finals. Jaden Akins is gone. Jase Richardson is gone. Tre Holloman has transferred to NC State. He was also one of the top scorers on Michigan State.

"So, what you're looking at if you're Tom Izzo is a nucleus of returning players with great promise. Jeremy Fears in the backcourt, Jaxon Kohler up front, who I think could go from Big Ten ancillary piece to All-Big Ten player in 2025–26. And then you're also going to look at Coen Carr and Carson Cooper. Those four guys back represent the foundation for Michigan State this season."

Tom Izzo and Michigan State are set up for long-term success, even if they take a step back next season

The main point that Jon Rothstein was trying to make was that Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans are set up for long-term success after their additions this offseason. There is a decent chance that the team could take a step back next season. It is unlikely to be such a big step that they do not qualify for March Madness, but they do not have as strong a roster as last year.

However, the team is set up for success for years to come. Tom Izzo has proven that he can coach teams of many different qualities over his three decades as the team's head coach. So, there is a lot of faith in the Spartans fan base that he will help the team rebuild.