Tag: MSU

Jon Reschke returns to Spartans year after insensitive comments

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Staff Writer

CHICAGO — Michigan State linebacker Jon Reschke, who made racially insensitive comments about a teammate in January 2017 and left the program soon after, is back on the Spartans roster and may return this season.

Coach Mark Dantonio said Tuesday that Reschke, a starter in 2015, is taking the necessary steps toward a return this season but has permanently lost his scholarship. Dantonio said he’s largely leaving Reschke’s status up to the players.

“I talked to our football team and our players and said, ‘Hey, if you guys want him back, then you have to bring him back,'” Dantonio said Tuesday. “It has to be a decision made by our African-American players, led by them, and they have to support that.”

In a February 2017 statement announcing his decision to transfer from Michigan State, Reschke apologized for an “insensitive and totally regrettable comment involving a former teammate. In so doing, I have hurt and offended countless number of people, and for that, I am deeply sorry. If I could take my comment back, I would do so in a second.”

Reschke ultimately did not leave for another program and suffered a knee injury that kept him out for the 2017 season. He received approval for a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, citing the injuries he had in both 2016, when he appeared in just two games, and 2017. Reschke has 101 career tackles playing for MSU between 2014 and 2016.

Dantonio brought up the idea of Reschke’s return to the team in January and has checked in with players each month. Reschke participated in some of the team’s offseason conditioning program.

“I’m hopefully allowing healing to take place among our players,” Dantonio said. “We’ll take a step-by-step approach. He’s not on scholarship, nor will he be on scholarship. He paid the ultimate price by being out of football for a year.”

Dantonio later added: “All indications from our players are they do want him in camp.”

Photo: Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/24182440/michigan-state-linebacker-jon-reschke-allowed-back-team

Former Spartan Jackson drops 29 in Summer League debut

Associated Press

Jaren Jackson Jr.’s summer league debut couldn’t have gone much better.

The same can’t be said for Trae Young.

Jackson, the fourth pick in the NBA draft, outshined No. 5 overall pick Young in their first NBA action. The 6-foot-10 Jackson had 29 points and shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range to help the Memphis Grizzlies beat Young’s Atlanta Hawks 103-88 on Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Jackson hit his first two 3-pointers and was 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first half, including a buzzer-beater from midcourt to give his team a 47-41 lead. The 18-year-old Jackson showed the shooting stroke that made him a 40 percent 3-point shooter in college and scored 12 straight points during one stretch in the fourth quarter to help the Grizzlies pull away.

“I definitely felt hot at different spots during the game. If kind of felt surreal a little bit,” said Jackson, the team’s highest-drafted player since Hasheem Thabeet, who was No. 2 in 2009.

While Jackson was doing just about everything right, Young was having a miserable debut.

Young, who averaged 27.4 points last season for Oklahoma, missed all nine shot attempts in the first half, including six 3-pointers. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year, whose draft rights were swapped with the Dallas Mavericks for No. 3 pick Luka Doncic, struggled to recover after air balls on his first two shots and finished with 16 points on 4 of 20 shooting.

He was 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.

GRIZZLIES 103, HAWKS 88

Kobi Simmons had 19 of his 21 points in the first half and finished 8-of-13 from the field for the Grizzlies, while second-round pick Jevon Carter chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.

Tyler Dorsey led the Hawks with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Omari Spellman, one of Atlanta’s three first-round draft picks, had a solid showing with 11 points and six rebounds. Their other first-round pick, Kevin Huerter, did not play because of a wrist injury.

JAZZ 92, SPURS 76

Georges Niang scored 17 points, while first-round draft pick Grayson Allen had 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Jazz. Tony Bradley had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Derrick White led the Spurs with 22 points and seven rebounds.

San Antonio’s top draft pick, Lonnie Walker IV, struggled in his debut, limited to seven points while shooting 3-of-16 from the field.

WARRIORS 79, HEAT 68

Kendrick Nunn had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Warriors in a game played in Sacramento, California.

Warriors first-round draft pick Jacob Evans did not play because of a bruised toe sustained in practice last week.

Derrick Jones Jr. had a big game for Miami with 24 points and 11 rebounds, including a monster two-hand dunk after slashing down the lane. Bam Adebayo added 14 points and 14 rebounds.

KINGS 98, LAKERS 93

Marvin Bagley III showed why he was the No. 2 pick, turning in a strong debut with 18 points and six rebounds for Sacramento on the Kings’ home floor.

Harry Giles made a successful debut after being held out of last season with knee injuries. Giles, the 20th overall pick in 2017, was 6-of-10 from the field and finished with 13 points and three rebounds.

De’Aaron Fox had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Frank Mason III had 16 points, including a key 3-pointer late to help seal the win.

Josh Hart had 23 points for the Lakers before being ejected from the game with 1:04 left and his team trailing by four after picking up his second technical for disputing a call. Rookie Moritz Wagner had 23 points and seven rebounds.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23981528/jaren-jackson-jr-memphis-grizzlies-scores-29-summer-league-debut

Top photo: Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

Michigan State lands No. 7 ranked prospect Devontae Dobbs

Tom VanHaaren
ESPN Staff Writer

Michigan State made a big recruiting statement on Monday when ESPN 300 offensive lineman Devontae Dobbs announced his commitment to the Spartans.

Dobbs is the No. 7-ranked prospect overall, and he chose Michigan State over Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC, among others.

The 6-foot-5, 304-pound lineman out of Belleville, Michigan, is the highest-ranked commitment for Michigan State since ESPN started its rankings in 2009. The next-highest ranking for a commit is William Gholston, who was No. 42 overall in the 2010 class.

Dobbs selected Michigan State over some of the top programs in the country, and he notably kept Michigan off his list for most of his recruitment. Landing the massive prospect keeps a big-name recruit away from rival Michigan, and it also prevents Ohio State from landing another recruit from the state of Michigan, as the Buckeyes were heavily involved in Dobbs’ recruitment.

The five-star recruit joins his Belleville High School teammate, wide receiver Julian Barnett, in Michigan State’s 2019 class. Barnett is an ESPN 300 recruit himself, ranked at No. 69 overall.

Both prospects are ranked in the top five for the state of Michigan, with Dobbs topping the list.

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/23908316/michigan-state-spartans-land-espn-300-offensive-lineman-devontae-dobbs