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Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer
Michigan State senior A.J. Hoggard entered the transfer portal on Friday, making available one of the most experienced high-major point guards in the country.
Hoggard is in the portal as a graduate transfer, giving him one year of eligibility at his next school.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had hinted at a potential parting of ways earlier this month in a radio interview.
“A.J. is looking to make a pro career,” Izzo said on the Staudt On Sports radio show. “He could go back to college, but it wouldn’t be here. I think it’s, we have some younger guys and he has exhausted his and he’ll graduate.”
A 6-foot-4 guard from Pennsylvania, Hoggard has become a productive starter for the Spartans. After playing a rotation role as a freshman and sophomore, Hoggard started 67 games over the past two seasons, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in both campaigns.
Hoggard averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 assists per game in 2022-23 and 10.7 points and 5.2 assists this past season.
As a senior, Hoggard played his best basketball in the first half of the season, scoring in double figures in 13 consecutive games. In the second half, he had 23 points and 5 assists in a win over Illinois and 19 points and 4 assists in a loss to Wisconsin but reached double digits in scoring in only four of his final 14 games.
Hoggard was fantastic late in his junior campaign, averaging 16.0 points and 7.0 assists in his final five games before the NCAA tournament and then helping lead Michigan State to the Sweet 16 with averages of 16.3 points and 5.0 assists in three tournament games, highlighted by 25 points in an overtime loss to Kansas State.
Without Hoggard, Izzo will lean on rising sophomore Jeremy Fears and rising junior Tre Holloman at the point. Fears is a former McDonald’s All American who played in 12 games last season before being shot in his hometown days before Christmas. He underwent successful surgery and was discharged from the hospital but missed the rest of the season.