2021 Four-star point guard Jaden Akins commits to Michigan State

Tom Izzo’s magical recruiting run in the summer of 2020 continues. Four-star, in-state point guard, Jaden Akins has verbally committed to the Michigan State Spartans.

Akins previously played his high school ball at Farmington High, but will be joining fellow Spartan commit Emoni Bates at Ypsi Academy for the 2020-2021 academic year (assuming there is a high school basketball season).

“I ended up choosing Michigan State University,” Akins told 247Sports. “I chose them because of how they recruited me. They were my first major offer, and they made me not only feel wanted, but they made me feel needed as well. Also, I have a very good relationship with the coaching staff, and I feel like I will fit in well with what they want to do and how they play.”

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Akins is listed as the No. 2 player in the state of Michigan, the No. 10 point guard in the entire country, and the No. 70 prospect nationally, regardless of position. Similarly, Rivals ranks the 6-foot-3-inch, left-handed guard as a four-star prospect and the No. 65 recruit in the country.

The Spartans initially offered Akins in August of 2019, and have built a strong relationship with him ever since. Akins held additional offers from Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, Florida, Louisville, Mississippi State, Missouri, Georgia Tech, DePaul, Xavier and others.

The 2021 class for Michigan State looks like it could be special. Akins joins two extremely gifted wings in the group, including the No. 1 player in Michigan in Detroit Douglass Academy’s Pierre Brooks II, and the No. 1-ranked shooting guard in the entire country in Max Christie out of Rolling Meadows (Illinois). Bates, the No. 1 prospect in the country regardless of class, is still technically a member of the 2022 cycle, as is five-star center Enoch Boakye.

However, both Bates and Boakye are considered strong re-class candidates — depending upon what the scholarship situation looks like for MSU during the 2021-2022 season. The Spartans boast an extremely strong, talented and imposing class — even without Bates and Boakye — that paired with the rest of the roster would be considered strong favorites in the Big Ten and likely at a national level as well. However if those two 2022 prospects were to be added into the 2021 cycle, we’re looking at the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, and Izzo’s best haul of his career. A championship will be the expectation, not just the hope. If you’re interested in more, Sam Tyler will have his updated roster/rotation outlook published within the next day.

There hasn’t much good news to come by in the world we currently live in, but Izzo and Michigan State hoops continues to bring positive vibes to Spartans fans.

Highlights: Yeah, this kid is going to be phenomenal.