Latest news with #JadenAkins
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Spartans star Jase Richardson invited, Jaden Akins not invited to NBA Combine
Spartans star Jase Richardson invited, Jaden Akins not invited to NBA Combine See which Spartans were invited to this year's NBA Combine Only one Spartan is heading to the NBA Combine this year. The official NBA Combine invitation list was revealed on Friday, and only one Spartan was included: Jase Richardson. This means Michigan State guard Jaden Akins will not be in attendance after a solid career with the Spartans. Richardson starred for the Spartans in his lone season at Michigan State as a true freshman. He entered the starting lineup in the back half of the season and quickly became Michigan State's top scoring threat. He finished the season averaging 12.1 points per game and is considered a fringe lottery pick in this year's NBA Draft. Akins also had a solid final year at Michigan State, where he led the Spartans in scoring with 12.8 points per game. He averaged 11.1 points per game across his final three seasons at Michigan State, with this past year being his highest scoring average. Akins, however, is unlikely to get drafted and could have used the NBA Combine to help raise his draft stock. He will at a minimum get a look during NBA Summer League should he go undrafted. The NBA Combine will take place from May 11 - 18 in Chicago. The NBA Draft will be held on June 25 and 26. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan State's Jaden Akins Sends Parting Message After NCAA Tournament
Michigan State made a nice run through the men's NCAA Tournament this year, and it got all the way to the Elite Eight, where it lost to Auburn by a final score of 70-64. It was an ugly and frustrating loss for the Spartans, as they shot just 34.4% from the field and scored a paltry 24 points in the first half. Advertisement Guard Jaden Akins averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.8 steals a game this season for the Spartans, and he's expected to move on, possibly to the NBA draft. The senior posted a parting message on his Instagram account after spending all four seasons of his college career at Michigan State. "Thankyou," Akins posted on Instagram. Akins, who is 6-foot-4, isn't an efficient scorer, as he made just 39.4% of his shot attempts this season and has a 40.6% overall field-goal accuracy for his college career. But he's a potent 3-point shooter, and he went 38% from downtown this season, as well as 42.2% from that distance during the 2023-24 campaign. Michigan State's Jaden Akins scores against Niagara during the first half on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.© Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images He was named to the All-Big Ten team and the Big Ten All-Defense team this season. If he ends up on an NBA team, he may be able to find a niche as a 3-and-D player off the bench. Advertisement He seemed to make a nice impression on Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo over the years. Izzo has called him the team's hardest worker, not just on the court but also academically, over the past two seasons. Related: Top Transfer Portal Player Has Clear Message for Arkansas' John Calipari
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Spartans listed in top 20 of latest way-too-early rankings from The Field of 68
Spartans listed in top 20 of latest way-too-early rankings from The Field of 68 See where Michigan State landed in The Field of 68's latest way-too-early rankings Michigan State basketball is listed among the top 20 teams in the country heading into next year, according to The Field of 68 team. One of the more popular college basketball media outlets has the Spartans sitting in the top 20 of their latest way-too-early rankings for the 2025-26 season. The Field of 68 has Michigan State slated at No. 17 in their updated rankings that were released on Monday. The Spartans are the fourth-highest ranked team from the Big Ten in the newest poll from The Field of 68. Michigan State is only behind Purdue (No. 2), Michigan (No. 12) and UCLA (No. 13). Michigan State finished this past season ranked in the top 10 after claiming the Big Ten Championship and reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans, however, will need to replace a number of key contributors off this past year's team, including Jase Richardson, Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman. Check out the complete way-too-early rankings in the post below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jaden Akins plays solid in the first game of the Portsmouth Invitational
Jaden Akins plays solid in the first game of the Portsmouth Invitational Following his four year career in East Lansing with Michigan State, Jaden Akins is attempting to make his way into professional basketball, starting what he hopes to be a successful career. Akins, a fan favorite who did everything right, has the body type, skill set and work ethic that could find success at the next level. The first step for his post Michigan State journey is playing in the Portsmouth Invitational, an annually held tournament serving as a pre-combine event for college seniors to showcase their talent and abilities in preparation for the NBA Draft. Akins had a great showing in his first game at the event, the first of three he will play. Akins played 28 minutes in the game, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-8 shooting to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. He was one of three players on his team in double digits. Spartan fans will look to continue supporting and cheering for Akins as he pushes to break into the professional basketball landscape. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former MSU guard Jaden Akins to play in Portsmouth Invitation Tournament this week
Former MSU guard Jaden Akins to play in Portsmouth Invitation Tournament this week Watch Jaden Akins play some more basketball this week in the annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Former Michigan State basketball star Jaden Akins will play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this year. The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament is annually held as a pre-combine event for college seniors to showcase their talent and abilities in preparation for the NBA Draft. This year's event will be the 71st time they've held the tournament. Akins will be playing on the K&D Round's Landscape Services team in this year's event. The tournament will begin on Wednesday and run through Saturday. The games will be available to stream via the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament site. Akins led the Spartans in scoring this season with 12.8 points per game. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists to help lead Michigan State to the Big Ten Championship and an Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
