Moving from the Northeast, Tyson Walker, one of the best senior guards in the country, has committed to the state of Michigan.
Walker chose the Spartans from a final five that included Kansas, Maryland, Miami and Vanderbilt.
“They’ve been talking to me since I walked into the portal,” Walker told ESPN about Michigan State. “They talk to me every day. Just what they have and what they need. They’re ready to win a championship. I’m the missing piece.
“I was surprised, [Tom Izzo’s] personality. We have established a good relationship over the phone and through Zooms. What they lacked this year was a punctual guard. “
Walker, a six-foot Long Island student, earned first-team All-CAA honors this season and won the CAA Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 assists and jumped onto the national scene when he scored 27 points in North Carolina in February.
“It proved I can score anyone, not just against the people at our conference,” Walker said.
Michigan State sneaked into the NCAA tournament this season after beating Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan in the past two weeks, but the Spartans fought for most of the campaign and were bounced back by UCLA in the top four. One of the key issues was the lack of coherence in the spotlight. They fought to take care of the ball and shoot from the perimeter.
“My ability to get people to open shots, I think it will be the most important thing. And to be able to make shots,” Walker said. “I know I can’t make as many shots as I’ve done here, so it’s going to have to change a little bit. But my attendances will increase because of the people around me.”