Tom Izzo added the latest piece of a potentially fearsome recruiting class on Saturday when Michigan native Miles Bridges committed to the Spartans at Mott Community College in his home town of Flint, Mich.
The 6-foot-6 small forward out of Huntington (W.V.) Prep also considered Kentucky and Indiana. Bridges is ranked the No. 3 small forward in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com and the No. 12 overall prospect.
Michigan State now has the No. 1 recruiting class in 2016, according to Scout.com, jumping Duke and Kentucky.
Izzo’s class now has four players ranked among the top 47 players in the nation, according to Scout. Shooting guard Josh Langford is No. 19, point guard Cassius Winston No. 28 and center Nick Ward No. 47. Bridges and Winston are close friends and AAU teammates.
“When he committed, then I basically switched over to Michigan State from Kentucky,” Bridges told Scout.com. “At first I thought Cassius was going to Michigan. When he went to Michigan State, it changed everything.
“I just started hanging with him when AAU started,” Bridges said about Winston. “But it feels like I’ve known Cassius for all my life. We connect like brothers.”
Sparty also remains in the mix for 6-7 wing Josh Jackson, a Michigan native now at Napa (CA) Prolific Prep who is also considering Maryland, Kansas and Arizona, among others.
“I have the same relationship with Josh as I do with Cassius,” Bridges told Scout.
“The thing I like about Michigan State is Coach Izzo, he’s a great guy,” Jackson told me in August. “I grew up watching them all the time and I really feel like their style of play fits into my personality. They’re very tough team and even when Coach Izzo doesn’t have the best talent, he’s still able to win a lot of games. I’ve never seen Michigan State be out-toughed as at team.”
Earlier this week, Kentucky landed 6-10 face-up four man Wenyen Gabriel in what may have been a pre-emptive move in advance of Bridges’ decision.
