EAST LANSING ~ MSU Men’s Basketball started practice Tuesday, marking the unofficial start of a season already influenced by offseason developments. Antonio Pemberton committed, Jeremy Fears earned preseason National Player of the Year honors, and the program released its full schedule—all adding momentum to Tom Izzo’s 32nd year as head coach.
The Spartans returned to the court with a veteran core and a promising freshman group, a mix Izzo said has positioned MSU to keep pushing toward national contention. “We were in Elite 8. We were in the Sweet 16. We won the league. We took second in the league. And we’re knocking on the door,” Izzo said Tuesday. “You got to knock on it before it opens. And we still got a lot of knocking to do.” MSU brings back 10 players and adds several true freshmen.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Day 1. pic.twitter.com/2kGZjQYgTy
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) September 22, 2026
(CONTINUED) One of those newcomers is Pemberton, who verbally committed Friday. The freshman point guard was ranked No. 5 at his position by 247Sports and No. 1 in Massachusetts, joining a backcourt led by redshirt junior Jeremy Fears. Fears, named Blue Ribbon College Basketball’s preseason National Player of the Year, averaged 15.2 PPG last season and has taken on a larger leadership role. “I think he’s done a better job of gathering people not just leading by example, but leading with his mouth,” Izzo said.
MSU will face high‑level competition early in the season, including matchups against Duke and Arkansas, before beginning a 20‑game Big Ten schedule. The challenging lineup is designed to prepare the Spartans for a postseason run—especially with the Final Four set for Detroit in April, a hometown spot MSU hopes to earn.
The Spartans open with an exhibition game Friday, Oct. 2, against Incarnate Word at the Breslin Center, the first step in a season built around experience, depth, and renewed expectations.
