Tom Izzo dove back into the transfer portal to address a need for Michigan State basketball.
No, not at center.
The Spartans landed a commitment from Omaha swingman Frankie Fidler on Tuesday, according to a report from 24/7 High School Hoops. The move fills a need for length on the wing with the graduation departure of Malik Hall. Fidler chose MSU over Wisconsin, Nebraska and Creighton.
The 6-foot-7, 217-pound native of Bellevue, Nebraska, averaged 20.1 points and 6.3 rebounds this winter for the Mavericks. He made 35.6% from 3-point range while shooting 45.2% overall, adding 2.6 assists a game along with 41 steals in 36 minutes per game.
SIOUX FALLS, SD – MARCH 5: Frankie Fidler #23 of the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks drives on Alex Arians #34 and Charlie Easley #30 of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits during the Summit League Basketball Tournament at the Denny Sanford Premier Center on March 5, 2022 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. (Photo by Richard Carlson/Inertia)
Fidler’s numbers consistently progressed in his three years at Omaha, going from 12.9 points and 3.7 rebounds as a freshman in 2021-22 to 14.7 points and 5.8 boards as a sophomore. He’s also a career 85.9% free-throw shooter.
The addition of Fidler should allow Jaden Akins to slide into the shooting guard spot vacated by the graduation loss of leading scorer Tyson Walker (18.4 points per game). The 6-4 Akins has played somewhat out of position the past three seasons, particularly on defense, finding himself giving up 3 to 4 inches on opposing wings. MSU also graduated versatile 6-8 forward Hall and his 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game.
Izzo also is expected to return forward/centers Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper as juniors and Xavier Booker as a sophomore, but those three are on-the-block bigs compared to Fidler, who can create off the dribble as a slasher from the wing. Coen Carr, though he is only 6-5, showed a knack for attacking the basket and finishing at the rim as a freshman this season but without the outside shooting Fidler brings. Booker is more of a stretch forward who can shoot from the perimeter but has yet to show the ability to put the ball on the floor.
SPARTANS COMING IN, SPARTANS GOING OUT: Michigan State WR Antonio Gates Jr., son of former NFL star, enters transfer portal
MSU had one open scholarship for 2024-25 with the impending arrivals of incoming freshmen 6-10 forward Jesse McCulloch and guards Kur Teng (6-4) and Jase Richardson (6-3). Izzo had one open scholarship last year that was filled by fourth-year senior walk-on guard Davis Smith, who has one year of eligibility remaining with the NCAA’s COVID waiver for his freshman year in 2020-21.
MSU had one player enter the transfer portal after the season, fourth-year forward Mady Sissoko. Izzo said starting point guard A.J. Hoggard, who participated in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament last week along with Walker, will not return to MSU for his fifth/extra year of eligibility.
Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.
Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball lands Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler
