Less than two weeks after their season ended in the Elite Eight against Auburn, the Spartans and head coach Tom Izzo were left to navigate the modern churn of major college athletics without much of what made their “strength in numbers” approach work last season.

Seniors Jaden Akins, Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala are out of eligibility. Freshman Jase Richardson declared for the NBA Draft. Junior transfer Tre Holloman committed to NC State on Sunday. Sophomore transfer Xavier Booker pledged to UCLA, and redshirt freshman transfer Gehrig Normand is expected to commit elsewhere. 

That’s more than half of MSU’s rotation — and most of its production. It’s also much of the experience and cohesion that powered the Spartans to a 17-3 Big Ten campaign and a March run that fell one win short of the Final Four.

For a team that prided itself on depth, this is a significant drain. It’s not a full rebuild like at some high-major programs — but it is a serious retool.

The returning core gives Izzo and his staff a foundation. Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. is expected to return as the primary point guard. Sophomore forward Coen Carr appears ready for an expanded role on the wing. Junior forwards Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper return in the frontcourt with more development ahead.

Freshman guard Kur Teng will compete for a supporting role in a now-thin backcourt. Redshirt freshman forward Jesse McCulloch could also carve out minutes, while incoming freshmen Cam Ward and Jordan Scott bring length and scoring upside on the wing.

MSU’s only portal addition so far is Florida Atlantic transfer Kaleb Glenn, a 6-foot-7 forward who provides shooting, length and defensive versatility on the wing. Glenn averaged 12.5 points per game and shot 40% from deep last season. He’ll likely replace much of what MSU lost with Fidler, while giving the Spartans some flexibility in how they build their frontcourt rotations. 

This isn’t a crisis by modern college basketball standards or compared to other Big Ten programs navigating far more dramatic overhauls this spring. MSU still has a core in place, continuity in its coaching staff and a roster foundation that looks relatively stable in an era where few programs are immune to turnover. 

But what happens next — particularly who joins that core — will ultimately decide what MSU looks like heading into next season. 

Izzo and his staff likely still have work to do in the transfer portal, mainly in the backcourt. The Spartans need at least one proven guard, if not two, to stabilize a roster that lost both Richardson and Holloman from its point guard rotation and graduated its top scorer in Akins.

The top priority is a starting-caliber guard — someone who can score at all three levels and handle Big Ten minutes. MSU could also target a combo guard with experience running an offense to back up Fears and offer lineup versatility.

Adding another frontcourt player isn’t off the table, though it’s less pressing. MSU seems confident in its returning forwards and freshmen, but a veteran big could round out the rotation depending on portal developments.

That search — and who ultimately joins — will shape the rest of MSU’s offseason.

Roster math will also play a part. In the looming era of revenue sharing — which could arrive as soon as next season depending on the resolution of the House v. NCAA settlement — it’s expected that programs will carry smaller rosters, both for financial reasons and to better allocate playing time. MSU has typically operated with 11 to 13 scholarship players under Izzo in recent years. This offseason appears to be trending in a similar direction. 

Unlike many Power Five teams, MSU doesn’t need to overhaul its roster. The frontcourt is largely set. The young talent on the wing gives the Spartans some options. But they can’t afford to miss in the backcourt — not after the volume of departures and not in a sport increasingly dictated by guard play. 

The numbers suggest MSU will add two, maybe three, more portal players. But those additions could ultimately define the floor and ceiling for next season.

For now, MSU’s retooling effort is off to a measured start. But the most important pieces are still to come.