Tom Izzo is still building Michigan State basketball around retention, even as much of college basketball treats the transfer portal like the fastest way to remake a roster. His stance has stayed consistent: keep the players already in East Lansing, develop them, and use the portal more selectively, a philosophy he laid out publicly at a coaching clinic appearance.
That puts Michigan State basketball on a different track from many high-major programs. Izzo has openly criticized the current portal environment, calling it “way worse than NIL” and pointing to tampering and weak enforcement as core problems across the sport.
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Izzo keeps starting with his own roster
Izzo’s roster-building argument is straightforward. He has said his first portal stop is his own locker room because keeping most of the current roster remains the priority for Michigan State basketball, as reflected in those public comments on roster retention.
Michigan State basketball has had less portal turnover than many programs around the country. Recent outbound transfers included Tre Holloman, Xavier Booker and Gehrig Normand, but the broader approach has still leaned more on continuity than annual roster churn, based on that same reported offseason context.
Why Izzo keeps pushing back
Izzo’s criticism is aimed at the system itself, not just the volume of movement. He has said in-season tampering is the worst part of the current setup and has compared college basketball unfavorably to pro leagues where that kind of contact is not allowed while players are under contract, as detailed in his comments on tampering.
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He has also pointed to the risk for players who leave without a secure next step. NCAA data he referenced showed that 19% of Division I men’s basketball players who entered the portal on scholarship did not receive scholarships at new schools, a figure tied to his warning about unintended consequences.
Michigan State is making a different bet
Plenty of contenders now use the portal to patch scoring, size or backcourt depth in a hurry. Michigan State basketball is asking returning players to handle more of that growth internally, which puts more pressure on development and lineup continuity from one season to the next.
That choice will show up quickly next season in Big Ten play. If Michigan State brings back a stable core, the Spartans could open the year with more built-in chemistry than portal-heavy opponents, and the key question will be whether that continuity holds up against teams that added older, experienced pieces through the portal.
