MSU hoops listed in top 10 of preseason poll for next year

With things starting to settle down in the transfer portal, Kevin Sweeney of Sports Illustrated has Michigan State as a top 10 team heading into next season.

Sweeney released an updated early rankings for next year, with the Spartans cracking his top 10. Michigan State was listed at No. 8 in his poll, which is third among Big Ten teams behind only Michigan (No. 2) and Illinois (No. 4).

Here's what Sweeney had to say about the Spartans:

"The reasons for optimism in East Lansing start with star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., arguably the best floor general in college basketball for 2026–27 after leading the country in assists per game as a sophomore. He elevates everyone around him, and Michigan State has a strong nucleus in place with athletic wings Coen Carr and Jordan Scott. The frontcourt is green though with the graduations of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke has elite size, while youngsters Cam Ward and Jesse McCulloch could take on bigger roles."

In comparison, Seth Davis had the Spartans at No. 3 in his updated national poll from earlier this week. So it's clear the national media feels like Michigan State is a top 10 team entering next season -- it's just a matter of how high in that top 10.

Click on the post below to see Sweeney's complete poll and break down of each top 25 squad.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: MSU hoops listed in top 10 of preseason poll for next year