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Michigan State signs priority '26 center Ethan Taylor

On3 imageby: Jason Killop1 hour agoKillopOn3
Ethan Taylor / Photo by On3's Jamie Shaw
Ethan Taylor / Photo by On3's Jamie Shaw

Michigan State received a monumental commitment on Friday from four-star center Ethan Taylor, of Branson (Mo.) Link Academy. Taylor announced his commitment during a ceremony at his school, where he signed his national letter of intent.

RELATED: ’26 four-star C Ethan Taylor talks Michigan State visit: ‘I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something like that night’

Taylor (7-1, 230) is the No. 24 recruit, No. 2 center and No. 1 player from Missouri in his class, per the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Aside from Michigan State, Taylor also took visits to Oregon (Sept. 5), Oklahoma (Sept. 12), Indiana (Sept. 19) and Kansas (Sept. 26). The Shawnee, Kan., native heavily considered the Jayhawks. He canceled a trip to Kentucky shortly before committing.

Taylor spent the weekend of Oct. 3 in East Lansing for an official visit. The trip helped seal the deal for Michigan State, as Taylor took in the program’s annual Midnight Madness and Izzone Campout events.

“It was definitely crazy,” Taylor said. “I had a great time out there. Midnight Madness was amazing. The atmosphere was really fun to be around. Watching the guys have a dunk contest, the scrimmage, even the women’s team. And then going to the campout and experiencing that, that was top 10. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something like that night.”

Izzo has compared Taylor’s game to that of former Michigan State and current Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr.

“How he potentially wants to use me down the line, (Izzo) has compared me a lot to Jaren Jackson when he was there,” Taylor said. “Just seeing what he’s doing and comparing me to him. He says I can mirror what he did there.

“(Hearing that) is special, just being compared to someone who has developed into something that great,” Taylor said. “I do think there are definitely some similarities there with the physical tools, wingspan, athleticism. Even the way we play is a little bit alike. So I think that’s pretty cool.”

Taylor becomes the fourth commitment of Michigan State’s 2026 class. He joins two longtime commits in four-star high school teammate Carlos Medlock and four-star forward Julius Avent, along with freshly-committed four-star shooting guard Jasiah Jervis.

Michigan State’s four-man class ranks No. 5 in the 2026 Rivals Industry Rankings.

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