Michigan State guard Jaden Akins withdraws from NBA Draft, will return to school
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State guard Jaden Akins announced on Wednesday that he will withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and return to East Lansing for his junior season. Akins made it official via his Twitter account.
Akins declared for the 2023 NBA Draft on April 21 while maintaining three years of collegiate eligibility. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo hinted at the possibility of a few Spartan players testing the NBA waters to acquire feedback from league scouts following the 2022-23 season. Akins and his teammate A.J. Hoggard both declared. Hoggard has yet to finalize his decision.
While Akins was not invited to the NBA Combine or G-League Elite Camp, he held his pro day in front of NBA scouts and the Michigan State coaching staff earlier this month. Akins had until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday to choose between the Draft or continuing his Michigan State career.
A former four-star recruit from Farmington, Mich., Akins is one of the most intriguing NBA prospects on Michigan State’s roster due to his athleticism, improving jump shot and defensive ability. He made strides on both ends of the floor last season as his minutes per game jumped from 14.8 as a freshman to 27.5 as a sophomore.
Both Akins and forward Malik Hall, two veteran pieces on next year’s team, missed time due to injury last season. Akins was forced to sit out four games after tweaking his surgically-repaired foot against Villanova on Nov. 18.
Akins received surgery last summer to take care of a stress reaction in his foot.
Akins made his return against Northwestern on Dec. 4 and claimed a spot in the starting lineup with Hall still out. Akins maintained that starting spot the rest of the season and averaged a career-best 9.8 points, four rebounds and 1.2 assists on 42 percent shooting (42.2 percent from three).
Akins averaged 3.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 assists on 39.4 percent shooting (38 percent from three) as a freshman in 2021-22.
Akins figures to slide into the starting lineup for a Spartan team currently ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s most recent Way-Too-Early Top 25 Poll. Should Hoggard also return to school, Michigan State would return all but Joey Hauser and Pierre Brooks from last season’s playing group.
Michigan State will also add the No. 6 high school recruiting class to next season’s roster, per the On3 Industry Rankings.
