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Michigan State's 'family' feel drew in 2024 PF Jesse McCulloch (SP)

Ryan O'Bleness • Spartans Illustrated
Managing Editor
@ryanobleness

The Michigan State men’s basketball program continues its strong recruiting stretch as 2024 three-star power forward Jesse McCulloch committed to the Spartans on Thursday.

This makes two commitments for MSU in the 2024 class thus far. McCulloch joins four-star shooting guard Kur Teng, who committed to the Spartans on April 3.

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There were many factors why McCulloch chose the Spartans, but the most important one to him and his parents was the family atmosphere that the Michigan State program exudes. MSU stayed in constant contact with Jesse, and made his father, Cedric, his mother, Laurie, and his brother, Alex, all part of the recruiting process.

McCulloch is close with all of the coaches on staff: head coach Tom Izzo, and assistants Doug Wojcik, Mark Montgomery and Thomas Kelley, as well as director of recruiting operations Jon Borovich. He also already has strong relationships with many of the current players and the members of Michigan State’s incoming 2023 recruiting class.

“It's a great family environment,” McCulloch said about why he committed to MSU. “I have a great relationship with the coaches, every coach – Coach Izzo, Coach Doug (Wojick), Coach Monty (Mark Montgomery) and Coach TK (Thomas Kelley) – I know every coach (well)! The players on the team, I'm real close with them, and the incoming freshmen (from the 2023 class) as well.”

Laurie and Cedric echoed their son’s sentiments. It was clear from the get-go that McCulloh was a top-priority for Michigan State, and that meant a lot to the family. For example, three of MSU’s staff members called McCulloch on Tuesday just to check in and chat.

“It’s just apparent that they all get along and they enjoy reaching out,” Laurie McCulloch said about Michigan State’s staff. “It's just the communication – consistency in their communication – which, where you can get three of their staff members calling you together, FaceTiming (it shows that), and they're fun. They're just a really fun group.”

The strong bonds the coaching staff built with Jesse and his family made the decision clear for the star athlete.

“It was just everybody,” Jesse said when elaborating on his decision. “Everyone really contacted me. I would say I'd talk to each one of (the MSU coaches) every two weeks. I would talk to all of them about basketball, about life and everything.”

For Cedric, it was important that his son goes to a school that has a strong tradition, and where everything is earned, not given, which is exactly what Michigan State has always been about under Izzo.

“I would say this – when you know, you know,” Cedric McCulloch said. “So we've been knowing (Michigan State was the right fit) for a long time. For me, it was important that he was coming from a school with rich tradition, so that he goes to a school with rich tradition where he has to work toward a goal. That was really, really important.”

Jesse currently attends Lutheran East in Cleveland, Ohio, where he just helped lead the Falcons to a 2023 state championship. Playing at Lutheran East will help prepare the power forward for the college level.

“I didn't see the transition (to Michigan State) being hard at all because he's coming from a certain degree of pedigree and he's going the same type of pedigree, it’s just at a higher level," Cedric said.

As for winning the Ohio state title, the young McCulloch – who is the only student-athlete at Lutheran East to have two state championship rings (after also winning one his freshman year) – was elated.

“It felt great,” Jesse said excitedly about winning the state championship. “Felt like the hard work paid off!”

With the high school season now over, Jesse is getting set for the Nike EYBL 17u circuit with the Indy Heat Gym Rats, which kicks off in Atlanta this weekend.

The fact that East Lansing is only about a three-and-a-half drive from Cleveland was also appealing to the McCullochs. The family wants to get to the Breslin Center to check out some home games, and travel for some Big Ten road games as well during the 2024-2025 season and beyond.

“Going off to college is always such a big thing, but we're just grateful he's going to a college that offers the tradition and the stability that we're looking for,” Laurie said about Michigan State. “It just makes the whole transition so much easier for us. Distance did play a part (in the decision) for sure.”

Speaking of the Big Ten, the future Spartan is excited for the opportunity and challenge to play in one of the best basketball conferences in the country, and he knows the competition will only get tougher from here.

“I think it's a really good opportunity,” Jesse said about playing in the Big Ten. “We’re gonna be on TV every night. The competition's gonna be even harder when I get there with UCLA and USC. I think it's gonna be real fun.”

While Jesse is currently unranked, he is expected to rise into the top-100 or so in the latest Rivals basketball rankings update coming out in late May, which will likely also bump him up to four-star status. Regardless of rankings, however, Jesse is a highly-touted prospect and brings a strong skill set to East Lansing.

As a 6-foot-10, 225-pound stretch-four, Jesse will space the floor for the Spartans offensively. He can also score inside the paint, rebound the ball, defend, protect the rim and much more.

Jesse also mentioned that he has spoken briefly with Teng since he committed in early April, and the two are excited to build the foundation of the 2024 class.

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