The MSU men's basketball team received its first verbal commitment for the 2008 class, landing Korie Lucious, a 5-foot-10 guard from Milwaukee Pius XI High School.
Lucious is ranked as the No. 7 point guard in the class of 2008 by recruiting service Scout.com.
"The strength in his game is probably the fact that he can really be a lethal jump shooter from the perimeter," said Dave Telep, the national recruiting director for Scout.com. "He'll give Michigan State an option where he can play both of the guard positions."
Lucious' signing comes on the heels of a strong 2007 MSU recruiting class, which includes Top 100 guards Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen.
Telep doesn't believe the signing of Lucious means MSU is becoming overloaded in the backcourt.
"He's different than those guys," Telep said. "What you'll get with him is a guy who will probably play both the guard spots in a combo role and a backup to Kalin Lucas at the point."
MSU head coach Tom Izzo is not permitted by the NCAA to comment on potential recruits until they sign a National Letter of Intent, which Lucious will be able to do in the fall of 2007. But Telep said this commitment will help the Spartans resurrect their fast break and should pay big dividends down the road.
"Any time you get a Top 50 player nationally, you expect that he comes in and has a really nice four-year career in East Lansing and is a major contributor for the program," Telep said. "I think he could wind up as a sniper from the perimeter, down the road for Michigan State."
