Tone is back, should help toughen up MSU hoops
Tom Izzo’s most important recruit was probably Antonio Smith in the late 1990’s. Smith brought a tough, hard-nosed attitude to Michigan State basketball and also brought several of his fellow Flintstones to the program. With the current team’s recent streak of injuries, a little toughness may be just what the team needs.
Dave Dye of the Detroit News writes that Smith returns to MSU to finish his degree and will be a regular at team practices. Izzo paid homage to Smith’s impact on the program.
Smith, 30, helped pave the way for Michigan State’s success with his tenacity during Izzo’s first four years as coach, including a trip to the 1999 Final Four.
“He’s the guy who started this whole thing,” Izzo said. “Even though the (Mateen) Cleaves recruiting class gets the most credit, Antonio probably dragged everybody here.
“He’s truly the blue-collar guy. I love having him around the guys.”