Izzo concerned about team leadership

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Because of its athletic ability, basketball IQ and NCAA Tournament experience, the MSU men’s basketball team is viewed by many as a top three team in the country.

And although MSU head coach Tom Izzo acknowledges he enjoys the high expectations, his biggest concern is what his team lost when four seniors played their final games for MSU in April.

For the first time since 2000, junior guard Kalin Lucas and senior forward Raymar Morgan unanimously were selected as team captains by their teammates. Izzo said how those two players lead will dictate the outcome of the season.

“Do we have the leadership?” Izzo said, indicating his most significant worry. “Being able to lead yourself is one thing — being able to lead a group of people is another. And I don’t say that negatively toward them, but that will take place when the adversity hits, which I’m sure will happen a few times this year.”

Last season, the unquestioned leader of the team was Travis Walton. He led vocally and by example, and his voice often dominated MSU games and practices — almost as loudly as Izzo’s.

This season, those responsibilities fall on Lucas, who showed vast improvement in leadership last season, and Morgan, who has been accused by coaches, fans and media for not showing enough emotion on the court.

It’s because of those question marks that Izzo worries, but it’s also because he knows how important leadership is while chasing championship trophies.

“Why didn’t we win a (Big Ten) championship in (eight) years? I still think one of those reasons was good leadership — I wouldn’t trade (Drew Neitzel) or (Chris Hill) or Alan Anderson or (Kelvin) Torbert — good leaders, good guys, but was it great leadership?” Izzo said. “Was it enough to drag a lot of people with you when times weren’t good? And that’s what the great teams can do, and that’s why I think we have a chance, and I think we have a good chance.”

Shooting guard production

For the first time since 2006, the Spartans will have an athletic wing player starting at shooting guard. For all of Walton’s leadership qualities and defensive ability, he struggled offensively.

In junior guards Durrell Summers and Chris Allen, along with sophomore guard Korie Lucious, the Spartans have three players who can return athleticism and scoring that greats such as Morris Peterson, Charlie Bell, Jason Richardson, Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager thrived with.

“I thought we had an athletic team last year, but I think we’ll be an even more athletic team this year,” Izzo said. “The position is built for a jet, and we’ve got one in Summers and a pretty good one, who’s a better athlete than I even thought, in Allen. Korie Lucious can play there some, and he can run too.”

Pressure-packed season

Seven publications ranked the Spartans as one of the nation’s top three teams, including ESPN.com’s Andy Katz and Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, which has MSU ranked No. 2.

Izzo has come off Final Four trips in which he returned great players with high expectations, but he said this season might present the most pressure.

“I wish I could say, ‘No,’ but I’m glad I can say, ‘Yes,’” Izzo said. “The pressure is trying to keep the expectations human, and if you leave here thinking I’m trying to (downplay expectations), I’m sure as hell not doing that. I’m not downplaying one thing. We have some very good players, and we have a very good team.”

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