Michigan State basketball has its transfer portal center.
The Spartans landed a commitment from ex-Charlotte and Providence big man Anton Bonke on Wednesday, April 22, according to On3's Joe Tipton. He was ranked as the No. 139 overall player in the portal this year and the No. 18 center, by 247Sports.
Before the 2025-26 season even ended, the center position was identified by many as a spot Tom Izzo had no choice but to fill on the 2026-27 team, even with highly-touted freshman Ethan Taylor set to arrive on campus this summer. With the graduation of Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler, the Spartans would've been putting a lot on the shoulders of Taylor right away.
Now, they can bring him along slowly like they have in the past with other highly-recruiting big men like Jaren Jackson Jr., who went on to be the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
OTHER TRANSFER NEWS: Michigan State's Divine Ugochukwu reportedly entering transfer portal
Michigan State fans arrive at one of the entrances for the second game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional versus Connecticut at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.College basketball fans watch the Duke versus St. John’s game on one of several TV’s at Clyde’s Alley Bar next door to the Capital One Arena in Washington DC where the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional is being played on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State forward Cameron Ward arrives off the team bus with his teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Former Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio walks ahead of the Michigan State basketball team for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State center Carson Cooper arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo arrives off the team bus at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo arrives off the team bus at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.1 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State fans arrive at one of the entrances for the second game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional versus Connecticut at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.1 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State fans arrive at one of the entrances for the second game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional versus Connecticut at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.2 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.College basketball fans watch the Duke versus St. John’s game on one of several TV’s at Clyde’s Alley Bar next door to the Capital One Arena in Washington DC where the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional is being played on Friday, March 27, 2026.3 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.4 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State forward Cameron Ward arrives off the team bus with his teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.5 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Former Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio walks ahead of the Michigan State basketball team for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.6 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.7 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State center Carson Cooper arrives off the team bus with his Michigan State teammates at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.8 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo arrives off the team bus at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.9 / 9Michigan State basketball tips off with UConn in Sweet 16 in D.C.Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo arrives off the team bus at 8 pm for their 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.At 7 feet 2, 270 pounds, Bonke will be one of the biggest players to ever get major minutes for Izzo. He played the 2024-25 season with Providence and made 16 appearances but just one start, averaging 1.3 points and 1.2 rebounds. He then transferred to Charlotte, who plays in the American Conference, and had a breakout season, boosting those numbers to 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds to go along with 1.5 blocks per game.
"Bonke has massive size at 7-foot-2 and 270-pounds," wrote 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein. "He's strong and physical inside, and a monster offensive rebounder. He also has good touch, dexterity, and footwork near the rim. There are even signs of extending that touch away from the basket as he made 13 threes this year and converted 65% of his free-throws. Bonke was late to the game, and so while he will turn 22 this summer, there is still significant untapped potential."
He's originally from Port Vila, Vanuatu, which is in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and Fiji.
Although star point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, he has publicly stated that he's keeping his college eligibility open and is expected back at MSU next year alongside fellow returners Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Kur Teng, Cam Ward and Jesse McCulloch.
The Spartans also have the No. 3 overall recruiting class in 2026, behind only Duke and Michigan, as Izzo looks to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 2019 with the 2027 Final Four in Detroit.
Andrew Birkle is an assistant sports editor for the Free Press. Contact him via email at abirkle@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball lands 7-foot-2 transfer center Anton Bonke