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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

Denzel Valentine selected for Pan American Basketball training camp

Ryan Kryska
July 6, 2015

Denzel Valentine has accepted his invitation to the 2015 U.S. Pan American Men’s Basketball Team training camp, according to a news release by Spartan Athletics. Twenty-two players were invited and 12 will be selected to represent the USA in Toronto from July 21-25. The training camp will take place at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., from July 7-12, according to the release. If Valentine is selected, he will be the fifth MSU player to represent the USA since 1991.

BASKETBALL

New recruit Joshua Langford discusses family, future at MSU

Ryan Squanda
July 2, 2015

When Madison Academy (AL) head basketball coach Andy Blackston saw a then 7th grade Joshua Langford come to his school for the first time and pick up a basketball, that’s when he knew. For Tellus Langford, it was when he saw his son win the Alabama 3A player of the year as an 8th grader on the Madison Academy varsity basketball team.

BASKETBALL

Former Spartan Draymond Green wins NBA Championship

Matthew Argillander
June 17, 2015

Draymond Green had doubters when he entered the NBA after a senior season at MSU in which he averaged 16.2 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game. Despite improving every year at MSU and helping to lead the Spartans to two Final Four appearances Green wasn't selected in the first round of the draft.  Green was ultimately selected a few picks into the second round with the No.

BASKETBALL

Head athletic coordinator Bob Knickerbocker to retire after three decades with MSU

Geoff Preston
April 20, 2015

The town of Cincinnatus, New York is a rural farming town of just over 1,000 people, and it isn't the place that many people get the opportunity to leave from. Bob Knickerbocker was one of the lucky few that did get to leave. Knickerbocker has been the head athletic equipment coordinator since 1983, and has helped oversee some of the uniform changes that MSU athletics have seen in the past few seasons. He will retire following this school year, but it will come after a long and fulfilling ride with MSU. "This kind of life has been very exciting for me," he said.

BASKETBALL

Denzel Valentine will take Spartans to new heights next year, according to Tom Izzo

Omari Sankofa II
April 14, 2015

After losing to Duke in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament, junior guard Denzel Valentine vowed that MSU would return next season. Head coach Tom Izzo placed his faith in his captain during his end-of-season press conference on Thursday, saying he believes Valentine will help the Spartans live up to expectations next season. "He, I think, will take this team to new heights next year," Izzo said.