EAST LANSING -- Sixteen basketball players walked through the door to the gym at the Berkowitz Basketball Complex on Wednesday afternoon to take part in the first official practice of the 2018-19 season.
Of those 16, none are currently projected to be first-round picks in next year's NBA draft. None were McDonald's All-Americans or five-star recruits last year as high schoolers last year.
Tom Izzo is the first to admit that his team will be less talented following the departures of Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson to the NBA.
Preview magazines like Michigan State to repeat as Big Ten champs, make Sweet 16
But what did walk through the door is a group of players with more college basketball experience.