Top 10 greatest Michigan State Men’s Basketball Players Ever

There have been so many players to come through the Michigan State men’s basketball program — all the way back to 1898 when Michigan State played its first college game to now. From the days of Coach Charles Bemies to now Tom Izzo, let’s look back at the Top 10 players to ever wear the green and white and those who are forever known as Spartans.

10. Miles Bridges (2016-2018)

Bridges only played two seasons in East Lansing; however, his time at Michigan State will never be forgotten. His freshman year was one of the best seasons a freshman has had in school history, which made him a projected lottery pick after his first year. However, Bridges decided to stay at Michigan State his sophomore year.

He put up 17.1 points, 7.0 boards and 27 assists and was a second-team All-American selection.

9. Shawn Respert (1991-1995)

Respert is Michigan State’s greatest scorer of all time — all-time leading scorer with 2,531 points and second all-time with a career average of 21.3 points. Respert also happens to be the school’s career leader with 331 made 3-pointers and ranks third in 3-point shooting percentage at 45.5 percent from distance.

He also knocked down a school-record 119 of them during the 1994-95 season. Respert also won the Big Ten Player of the Year award in 1995 and was named a consensus first-team All-American.

8. Kalin lucas (2008-2011)

Though injuries hindered portions of Lucas’ four seasons at Michigan State, he still put together a great collegiate career. The Detroit native was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2008-09 when he averaged 14.7 points, 4.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds for the national runner-up Spartans.

As a senior, Lucas averaged a career-high 17 points and ended his Spartans career with 1,996 points — ranking fifth in program history. He’s also the school’s career leader with 507 made free throws and 637 attempts from the free throw line.

7. Morris Peterson (1996-2000)

Peterson led the 2000 championship team in scoring at 16.8 points per game and also pulled down an average of six rebounds to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors. For his career, Peterson ranks among the top 15 in the school’s all-time scorers with 1,588 points and made 48.4 percent of his shots.

6. Steve Smith (1988-1991)

Smith is one of the most recognizable and celebrated players to ever come out of the Michigan State program. A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection (1990, 1991) and consensus All-American in 1991, Smith is the school’s second-leading career scorer with 2,263 points. His 18.5 career scoring average ranks fourth, while Smith’s 826 made free throws are third.

His No. 21 was retired by the school in 1999.

5. Denzel Valentine (2013-2016)

Valentine progressed each season during his four-year career at Michigan State, culminating with AP and Big Ten Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2015-16. During that season, Valentine averaged 19.2 points on 46.2 percent shooting, 7.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds. For his career, Valentine totaled 1,645 points and ranks fourth in Michigan State history with 265 made 3-pointers, fourth in assists (639), and ninth in rebounds (856).

4. Draymond Green (2009-2012)

Green was a freshman during Michigan State’s run to the national championship in 2009, and he was again a key reserve as a sophomore when he averaged 9.9 points, 7.7 boards, and 3.0 assists to be named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. But Green became a star as an upperclassman.

As a senior, Green was named Big Ten Player of the Year when he averaged 16.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He’s the school’s career rebounding leader with 1,096 and is second in program history in steals with 180. 

3. Cassius Winston (2016-2020)

One of the most hardworking and beloved players to ever put on a Michigan State uniform. Winston was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and the league’s player of the year in 2018-19 when he set career highs for average points (18.8) and rebounds (7.5) while the Spartans reached the Final Four.

Winston, sixth on the school’s career scoring list (1,969 points), also happens to be the Spartans’ all-time assists leader (890) and ranks fifth in made 3-pointers with 259 and seventh in 3-point percentage (43.0). 

2. Mateen Cleaves (1997-2000)

Not only is Cleaves one the greatest players in Michigan State history, but he’s perhaps the most charismatic. Always smiling, always eager to yap it up. A three-year captain, Cleaves was the undisputed leader of the Spartans’ 2000 national-title winning group.

He was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year (1998, ’99), first-team All-American (1999) and the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player of the Year from 2000. While Cleaves averaged 12.5 points for his career, he’s the school’s all-time steals leader (195) and ranks second with 816 assists.

1. Earvin “Magic” Johnson (1977-1979)

Magic is the most prominent and popular player to come out of the Spartans’ program. Johnson’s time at Michigan State lasted just two seasons, but he was obviously a major reason the program won its first national title in 1979 against Larry Bird in what’s considered one of the great finals of all time. Johnson finished with 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the title game, and he was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. 

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