Why Michigan State’s Tom Izzo compared KU’s KJ Adams to Magic Johnson, Draymond Green

Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo paid Kansas forward KJ Adams the ultimate compliment during a news conference Monday previewing Tuesday’s Champions Classic contest between the unranked Spartans and No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks.

Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. Central with a live telecast on ESPN.

“He’s kind of a Magic Johnson,” 30th-year MSU coach Izzo said of Adams, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound native of Austin, Texas. “He makes some of the best passes of any big man I’ve seen at 6-7, so it’ll be a great test for us to see how we do.”

Johnson just happens to be a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who led the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA title and Los Angeles Lakers to NBA crowns in 1980, ’82, ’85, ’87 and ’88.

Izzo, who turns 70 in January, called Adams “maybe the biggest key to their whole team. He is a senior and has won a ton of games there. He does all the dirty work. He’s kind of a Draymond Green, Xavier Tillman (former MSU standouts in the Izzo era). He’s kind of an in-between. He doesn’t shoot it very well, just makes plays.”

Adams has averaged 10.5 points (on 62.5% shooting; he’s attempted no 3s) and 3.0 rebounds for the Jayhawks, who like Michigan State, take a 2-0 record into Tuesday’s game. He has five assists against no turnovers this young season.

Adams, despite spraining his ankle, played 37 minutes in Friday’s 92-89 victory over North Carolina at Allen Fieldhouse. He scored 14 points on 7-of-13 shooting with two rebounds and two assists to no turnovers.

Izzo on Monday also praised KU senior center Hunter Dickinson, who went 3-3 versus the Spartans during his days as a member of Michigan’s team. He averaged 19.3 points in those six games prior to transferring to KU before the 2023-24 season.

“Dickinson’s been around five years as those of us around here have known him from his days in Ann Arbor,” Izzo said Monday.

“We kind of know some of the things Dickinson does. I think he’s been pretty consistent. I don’t see him shooting as many 3s now as he did at Michigan. I’ll say that (and) maybe he’ll shoot a bunch of them tomorrow. I haven’t seen that. He’s still a threat down low. He hasn’t changed much. He’s the same ‘ol guy. He’s got more experience now. He’s a fifth-year guy that has been through the wars.

“He was injured a little bit earlier in the year, but I don’t think it was anything that’s kept him out, except maybe gave him a little rest, which is probably good for a big guy. He played 30 minutes last game. I expect him to play 30 minutes this game.”

Dickinson scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting (0-for-2 from 3) with 10 rebounds in 29 minutes Friday in KU’s win over UNC.

Izzo also is familiar with KU newcomer wing AJ Storr, a 6-7, 205-pound junior transfer from Wisconsin who scored a bundle of points versus Michigan last season. He had 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting (3-of-8 from 3) in an 81-66 win over Michigan State on Jan. 26 in Madison, Wisconsin. He had 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting (4-of-6 from 3) in a 70-57 win over the Spartans on Dec. 5 in East Lansing, Michigan.

“We all know AJ Storr. He scored 20 against us when he was at Wisconsin,” Izzo said. “Storr is a little different because he was a little up and down last year. He’s been to three or four different places. We have film on him from all the places.”

Storr has played at St. John’s (2022-23), Wisconsin (last year) and KU.

The Spartans, who have defeated Monmouth (81-57) and Niagara (96-60), have been led by senior guard Jaden Akins (16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg), junior forward Jaxon Kohler (12.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and freshman guard Jase Richardson (11.0 ppg).

“Our last two practices have been as good as we’ve had,” Izzo said. “The camaraderie has been great. Hopefully we’ll play as well as we’ve practiced.”

MSU is 5-8 overall in the Champions Classic to KU’s 8-5 mark. KU and MSU have split four meetings in the event that brings KU, MSU, Kentucky and Duke together for a one-day doubleheader every November. Kentucky and Duke will meet approximately 30 minutes after the KU-MSU game Tuesday.

“Playing in the (classic) is a privilege because it’s one of the most watched nights of basketball of the whole year,” Izzo said. “But playing a No. 1 team — as I’ve told my players I’ve had a chance to do it a couple times — is (also) a privilege. You can go a lot of years in basketball and never play against the No. 1 team in the country.”

Of Michigan State, KU coach Bill Self said after Friday’s win over UNC: “I’ve not watched Michigan State yet. I’ve not studied them yet. Playing Tom’s teams is different. He runs more sets than anybody in the country. Getting your guys prepared for what they do, it will be a multi-day scout. Sunday morning will be pretty intense on trying to figure out how to slow them down. They run it down your throat too. They are as good as anybody in the country at that. We’ve got to tighten that up.”

Following the MSU game, KU will return home to face Oakland at 5 p.m. Saturday, at Allen Fieldhouse.