Despite the college basketball season not totally being concluded, the transfer portal and roster mania are in full swing, and Michigan State basketball needs to get active in the transfer portal sooner rather than later.
Going into the 2025-26 season, the center position feels like it is in a stable spot, but that likely depends on if Jesse McCulloch is truly a center over a power forward, along with how much Jaxon Kohler can get his body able to play the position.
One thing is for certain, though, Carson Cooper will be entering his fourth and final year with the Spartans. Michigan State does not have a center in the 2025 recruiting class, and as of now, there is no prospects in the 2026 class at the position. This meaning, after Cooper's incoming departure, there is really no one waiting to take the reigns as the starting center, aside from McCulloch potentially forming into a center.
With the future uncertainty at the position, it would be wise for Tom Izzo to go into the portal and find a center that could help now, and in the future.
The way I see it, this is going to be more of a project type add, but someone who at least possesses enough of a skillset to be able to play a 15-to-20 minute role behind Cooper. The player also will have two or three years of eligibility remaining so they could step into a starting spot after next season.
There truly is no guarantee that MSU and Izzo feel the need to add a center via the portal, with Cooper, Kohler and McCulloch all being around the position, but if the Spartans do go into the portal, here are eight options that could potentially be pursued:
Flory Bidunga (Kansas)
Shooting for the stars for a second, Michigan State had a really good relationship with Bidunga throughout the recruiting process, and is the best available center in the portal, while also having three years of eligibility remaining.
Unfortunately, Bidunga is probably drumming up a bidding war north of two or three million dollars, something Izzo wants no part of.
Aday Mara (UCLA)
Mara could be the player coming back to the Spartans in a trade for Xavier Booker. A 7-foot-3 center with Big Ten experience, Mara would have two years of eligibility remaining, and a ton of building blocks for Izzo and company to work with.
Mara averaged 6.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 2024-25.
Gabe Dynes (Youngstown State)
