Michigan State Bolsters Backcourt with Transfer Guard Trey Fort

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State University continues to adjust its basketball roster following significant offseason changes, adding veteran guard Trey Fort, who announced his commitment on social media Friday. Fort, a senior transfer from Samford, visited the campus this week before making his decision.

Fort is the second transfer addition for the Spartans in just one week, marking a strategic move as the program navigates through player departures. His addition highlights Michigan State’s efforts to fortify its backcourt after losing seven players from last season’s squad.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Fort showcased his skills last season by averaging a team-high 14.6 points per game, along with 3.9 rebounds, while shooting 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. He played an instrumental role at Samford, though he struggled against the Spartans in a November matchup, recording only four points on 1-for-8 shooting during the 83-75 loss.

Originally from Florence, Mississippi, Fort’s college journey has seen him play at multiple institutions. He began at UT Martin, where he averaged just 2.6 points over 11 games in the 2020-21 season. Following that, he transferred to two junior colleges—Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi and Howard College in Texas—before moving on to Mississippi State, where he averaged 5.0 points last season prior to joining Samford.

Michigan State’s recent roster overhaul follows a season where they enjoyed considerable success, winning 30 games and securing a Big Ten regular-season title before falling to Auburn in the Elite Eight on March 30. However, the Spartans have seen significant talent depart, including three players who have exhausted their eligibility: guard Jaden Akins, forward Frankie Fidler, and center Szymon Zapala. Additionally, star freshman guard Jase Richardson has declared for the NBA draft, while guard Tre Holloman committed to NC State. Forward Xavier Booker (UCLA) and guard Gehrig Normand also entered the transfer portal.

With these departures, only starting point guard Jeremy Fears remains from the previous season’s four-deep backcourt rotation, prompting the need for additional reinforcements. In light of this, the Spartans have also secured commitments from two incoming four-star recruits, wings Jordan Scott and Cam Ward, as part of their recruiting strategy. Meanwhile, Coach Tom Izzo may still look to the transfer portal for further depth behind Fears.