Michigan State University’s men’s basketball team won the NCAA Championship two years: 1979 and 2000. The latter year was under coach Tom Izzo who, of course, is still with the team.

Each year, he’s tried hard to get back to that final game. He’s been to many Final Fours and Sweet 16s, but only won the title in 2000.

Could that change in 2024? Perhaps. The main reason the Spartans could be so good in the 2023-24 season is because they have so many returning players. This past week, Malik Hall and Tyson Walker both announced they would be returning to Spartans next season. That’s a core element of the team that will already be solid and have their chemistry in place going into the new season.

Hoggard and Akins assisted Izzo in becoming the first coach to earn 25 straight bids to the NCAA Tournament this year. He also advanced to his 15th Sweet 16, and he now holds a record 16th March Madness game with a lower-seeded team before being beaten by Kansas State in a heartbreaking overtime loss.

Of course, some players won’t return. During a news conference on Wednesday (April 12), Izzo said “a bunch of guys” in college basketball are entering the NBA draft.

“I think that’s the popular thing to do,” he said.

Some Spartans may declare themselves eligible to be evaluated for the draft. They could also withdrawal from it in June, he explained.

“Jaden (Akins) could,” Izzo said. “(A.J.) Hoggard and Tyson (Walker) could. Guys could put their names in and see where they’re at. That’s the next thing to deal with, and it seems to be more common now. We’ll find out in the next couple of weeks.”

Time will tell if the Spartans will go all the way next season.