The Michigan State men’s basketball program received great news today as senior guard Tyson Walker announced on Monday, via Instagram, that he would be returning to the Spartans for a fifth and final year of college eligibility for the 2023-2024 campaign.
Walker had an extra year of eligibility available due to the blanket waiver granted by the NCAA during the COVID-19 pandemic-impacted 2020-2021 season.
Walker, a second-team All-Big Ten selection for the 2022-2023 season, was Michigan State’s leading scorer this past year, averaging 14.8 points per game and scoring 504 total points in 34 games. He also averaged 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while playing 33.9 minutes per night.
Walker oftentimes turned into the go-to scorer for Michigan State, especially in clutch moments, during the 2022-2023 season. He shot 45.9% from the floor overall, 41.5% from 3-point range and 79.7% from the free-throw line. He is also a strong defender. Getting Walker back as a fifth-year player is huge for MSU.
In 70 career games as a Spartan, Walker has averaged 11.4 points per game, 3.6 assists per game, 1.9 rebounds per game and 1.02 steals per game, while shooting 44.7% overall and 43.5% from 3-point range.
Walker transferred to Michigan State from Northeastern ahead of the 2021-2022 campaign. In 40 career games for the Huskies, Walker averaged 17.0 points per game.
With the return of Walker, Michigan State brings an absolutely stacked roster into the 2023-2024 season. It will be interesting to see if senior forward Malik Hall also decides to come back for a final year next season.
Head coach Tom Izzo and his staff will have to figure out the rotation and minutes distribution to keep everybody happy, but the Spartans will have incredible talent and depth come this fall. The expectations for this team will be quite high.
As of now, Michigan State returns the following scholarship players for 2023-2024: guards Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman, and forwards/centers Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper and Mady Sissoko. The Spartans also add a star-studded 2023 freshman class with forward Xavier Booker, point guard Jeremy Fears. Jr, shooting guard/small forward Gehrig Normand and forward Coen Carr. It would not be surprising to see Hall return as well.
Meanwhile, walk-ons Steven Izzo, Davis Smith and Nick Sanders could all return next season as well. Graduate senior forward Joey Hauser has not announced a decision yet, but is expected to move on from the program.
Michigan State and guard/forward Pierre Brooks II parted ways as he entered the transfer portal in late March. He has since committed to Butler.
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