The Michigan State Spartans are going to look a lot different during the 2024-25 season than they did in 2023-24. They are losing multiple key players from this year’s squad, as Tyson Walker, Malik Hall and A.J. Hoggard won’t be returning.
In the new age of college basketball, most teams would hit the transfer portal to fill voids on their roster. That has not been the style of Michigan State under Tom Izzo, as they have opted to recruit and develop players out of high school.
Earlier this offseason, the Spartans landed transfer Frankie Fidler out of Omaha. It was their first transfer portal commit since 2021, as they aren’t as aggressive as other programs have been. But, they could be dipping back into the portal soon.
Coming into the offseason, Izzo needed to find another big man for his rotation. It looks like he could be filling that hole on his roster with Syzmon Zapala, formerly of the Longwood Lancers. According to Chris DiSano, the Rhode Island men’s basketball team color analyst, Zapala is heading to East Lansing.
Zapala, who is listed as being 7 feet tall and 240 pounds, would bring some size to the Spartans’ frontcourt. Last season with the Lancers, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in only 16.8 minutes per game, starting 24 out of the 35 games he appeared in.
That is quite an impressive stat line, as Zapala was making the most of his playing time. He played a role in the team earning a spot in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, defeating UNC-Asheville in the Big South conference tournament to earn their bid.
Michigan State would be the third program Zapala has played for. He began his collegiate career with Utah State, where he played three seasons before moving on to Longwood. From Poland, he also has extensive international experience, which could help him adjust to high-major college basketball.
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