The Michigan State men’s basketball program has produced some of the best players to ever play the game.
Many former Spartans have gone on to have very successful NBA careers, which speaks to Coach Tom Izzo and the standard he sets for his program.
It was recently revealed that he almost had another child.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree, admitted during his appearance on The Backyard Podcast that he was close to transferring to Michigan State. Of course, Booker ultimately chose Kentucky, where he emerged as a standout player after just one year.
The former Wildcat guard said he only decided to attend Kentucky at the end of his recruitment.
“I went to Michigan State,” Booker said. “That’s where all my childhood friends and homies went. I love Izzo to this day. I didn’t grow up a fan of one or the other though because of the rivalry – Michigan-Michigan State.”
Booker played for Kentucky during the 2014–15 season, a year in which Michigan State made it to the Final Four.
Imagine that. A Final Four team with Devin Booker as backup. That failure has to be painful for Spartan fans.
Booker instead led his own Kentucky team to the Final Four that year before losing to national player of the year Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin. Kentucky started this season ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll and finished at the same spot in the final poll.
Booker is from Grand Rapids, Michigan, so his interest in Michigan State was understandable. The Suns guard admitted that he was a Michigan State basketball fan and a Michigan football fan growing up.
Booker is currently trying to help the U.S. national team win gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. He will be entering his 10th NBA season.
In his nine seasons with the Suns, Booker averaged 24.3 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He appeared in the NBA Finals and finished fourth in MVP voting.
Booker was selected by the Suns in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft and named to that season’s All-Rookie team.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook Spartan Nation IF YOU CLICK HEREand become part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White IF YOU CLICK HERE.
