Northeastern transfer Tyson Walker, one of the top mid-major guards in the country, has committed to the state of Michigan.
Walker chose the Spartans from the last five, including Kansas, Maryland, Miami, and Vanderbilt.
“They’ve been talking to me since I entered the portal,” Walker told ESPN of Michigan. “They talk to me about it every day. Just what they have and what they need. They are ready to win a championship. I am the missing piece.”
“It surprised me, [Tom Izzo’s] personality. We have built a good relationship over the phone and through Zooms. What they missed this year was a point keeper. “
Walker, a six-foot sophomore from Long Island, earned first-team All-CAA honors this season, winning the CAA Defensive Player of the Year award. He averaged 18.8 points and 4.8 assists and jumped onto the national stage when he scored 27 points in North Carolina in February.
“It showed that I can score on anyone, not just people in our conference,” Walker said.
Michigan State snuck into the NCAA tournament this season after beating Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan in the last two weeks, but the Spartans struggled for most of the campaign and were bounced back by UCLA in the First Four. One of the main issues was the lack of consistency at the point guard. They struggled to take care of the ball and shoot from the edge.
“My ability to get people open shots, I think that’s going to be the most important thing. And being able to take pictures,” Walker said. “I know I can’t take as many pictures as I took here, so it will have to change a bit. But my assists will go up because of the people around me.”