Tom Izzo got a little bit of good news about next year’s Michigan State basketball roster and the NBA Draft.
Even though “Jeremy Fears Jr. Watch” continued into the 11th hour.
Incoming transfer Anton Bonke has withdrawn his name from the draft process on the final day for underclassmen to return to college for the 2026-27 season, according to DraftExpress’s Jon Chepkevich on Wednesday, May 27. The 7-foot-2, 270-pound center will arrive from Charlotte after previous stops at Providence and a junior college. Bonke averaged 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for Charlotte last season.
But the big question for MSU as the 11:59 p.m. ET deadline loomed was the impending decision of Fears, a redshirt sophomore point guard who earned All-America and All-Big Ten honors in 2025-26.
Fears measured in at 6-foot and 196.2 pounds with a 6-4 wingspan and showed he needs to work on both his shooting and defense earlier this month at the NBA Combine in Chicago. However, the 21-year-old dazzled during the scrimmage portion of the combine with his court vision and leadership. Fears averaged 13 points, eight assists, three rebounds and two steals while shooting 50% but also had a number of turnovers, though that is not a surprise or a red flag in the loosely organized impromptu team structure of those scrimmages.
Izzo hinted on Wednesday at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island that he expected Fears’ return.
“We got most of our guards back,” Izzo said. “I think we’ll have all of them back.”
The Spartans did lose Divine Ugochukwu to the portal. The combo guard, who arrived last offseason from Miami (Florida), is transferring to LSU.
When Izzo might get to start working with his full roster also will be delayed, albeit for a good reason. Incoming freshmen Jasiah Jervis (guard) and Ethan Taylor (center) were selected to the USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team on Wednesday, and they will compete in the 2026 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup. That will be held June 1-7 in Leon, Mexico, and the two future Spartans will remain in Colorado Springs, Colorado, for training camp until departing for the tournament.
MSU’s first summer session of classes began May 11, and the second session begins June 30.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Anton Bonke exits NBA Draft as MSU basketball waits on Jeremy Fears Jr.
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