Michigan State senior point guard AJ Hoggard enters transfer portal
Michigan State point guard AJ Hoggard has entered the transfer portal, sources at On3 confirmed Friday. Hoggard will enter as a graduate transfer. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Spartan head coach Tom Izzo confirmed earlier this offseason that Hoggard would not be returning to Michigan State for his extra year of eligibility. Hoggard is also exploring his options at the professional level. He participated in the Portsmouth Invitational, a pre-NBA combine tournament, from April 17-20.
“AJ is looking to make a pro career,” Izzo told Tim Staudt during his recent appearance on Staudt on Sports. “But he could go back to college; it wouldn’t be here. We have some younger guys and he has exhausted his and he will graduate, but I think he would like to get into pro ball, whether it be Europe or the G League, but nowadays everybody will look at college too, depending on offers from different places.”
Hoggard – a native of Coatesville, Pa. – played four seasons at Michigan State. He started all but one of the Spartans’ 35 games as a senior last season. Hoggard averaged 10.7 points, 5.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds on 40.7 percent shooting (34.7 percent from three).
Hoggard (6-4, 210) earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors last season. He scored his 1,000th career point in a 59-53 win over Michigan on Jan. 7.
Hoggard showed flashes of dynamic point guard play as a senior, but struggled to string together consistent production down the stretch for Michigan State.
Hoggard was at his best last season when he scored 23 points and dished out five assists in Michigan State’s 88-80 upset win over No. 10 Illinois on Feb. 10. He played well at times during the postseason, notably scoring 17 points (on 6-of-6 shooting) and dishing out six assists in Michigan State’s win over Minnesota in the second round of the Big Ten tournament.
But Hoggard struggled in his final game as a Spartan, scoring three points on 1-of-10 shooting against North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Normally a dangerous downhill threat, Hoggard had a difficult time finishing at the rim in that game and other games late in the year.
Hoggard elevated his level of play as a junior during Michigan State’s run to the Sweet 16 in 2023. He was the Spartans’ best player in their Sweet 16 loss to Kansas State, scoring 25 points and dishing out six assists on 7-of-14 shooting.
That performance helped Hoggard earn a spot on the East Region’s All-Tournament team. He also earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Hoggard finished his Michigan State career as one of seven players in program history with 1,000 or more points and 500 or more assists. Mateen Cleaves, Cassius Winston, Scott Skiles, Kalin Lucas, Drew Neitzel and Denzel Valentine also achieved those marks.
A former four-star recruit out of Huntington (W.V.) Prep, Hoggard committed to Michigan State as part of its 2020 class. He was the No. 74 player, No. 16 point guard and No. 3 prospect from West Virginia in his class, per the On3 Industry Rankings.
Hoggard’s classmate, Mady Sissoko, entered the portal earlier this offseason. The Spartans picked up a transfer portal commitment from former Omaha wing Frankie Fidler Tuesday.
Michigan State will now turn to sophomore Jeremy Fears, junior Tre Holloman and incoming freshman Jase Richardson at the point guard spot.
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