Before the season began, head coach Tom Izzo pegged freshman forward Javon Bess as a player he expected to make an immediate impact.
A preseason stress fracture in Bess’ right foot last October robbed him of that opportunity. Bess made his season debut December 17 against Eastern Michigan, but never really found his groove. He aggravated his foot injury in early February and went on to miss the rest of the season.
Though his freshman season ended up being a wash, Izzo has high hopes for Bess next season, comparing his intelligence to that of a former Spartan great.
“Believe it or not, he has good athletic ability,” Izzo said. “I wouldn’t call him freakish because I am looking at a Branden Dawson or Jason Richardson. But he has freakish intelligence. That’s what he has. He is a smaller version of (Draymond Green), and he has the ability to get fouled as he did.”
Bess showed flashes of his ability when he was healthy. He started three games in January and was a steady presence for MSU, showing his defensive ability and toughness.
“He is like a (Denzel) Valentine,” Izzo said. “I am not worried about whether he is in the gym. I am not worried about whether he is taking care of business in school. I am not worried about him socially. I think he has a great intelligence as a basketball player and I think he can defend people. He has a nose for the ball like a linebacker.”
He never found his offense, but Izzo has shown excitement toward his slashing ability, a skill that this year’s team would have appreciated.
Bess will be a part of a talented group of underclassmen including sophomores Marvin Clark and Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr., and incoming five-star recruits Deyonta Davis and Caleb Swanigan.
The group will be relied upon to help MSU reach a second consecutive Final Four, a goal junior guard Denzel Valentine said is firmly on the radar.
Bess will be a key part of reaching that goal. Izzo wants to see more growth as a leader, but he believes Bess is in the right place for that to happen.
"(Bess is) not a great shooter yet, but a very good passer,” Izzo said. “Great understanding. Javon Bess excites me and I haven’t really even seen him. He just excites me. I am trying to get him to be a little more talkative. He is tied at the hip with Tum Tum so I don’t think he can go wrong. I don’t know what he is going to do.”
