Michigan State Basketball: 5 reasons Kerry Blackshear is perfect fit

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: Teammates Kerry Blackshear Jr. #24 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker #4 of the Virginia Tech Hokies react against the Florida State Seminoles during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: Teammates Kerry Blackshear Jr. #24 and Nickeil Alexander-Walker #4 of the Virginia Tech Hokies react against the Florida State Seminoles during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The 2019-20 version of Michigan State basketball will have a void in the post and here’s why Virginia Tech transfer Kerry Blackshear would be a perfect fit.

With Nick Ward deciding to forgo his senior season with Michigan State and head to the NBA, the Spartans have an open scholarship. That means they could go the grad transfer route.

Tom Izzo has stated that he doesn’t see the roster changing at all, but that was before the Ward decision and he now has options. Using a final scholarship won’t hurt the team at all because a grad transfer would only take that spot for next season and Michigan State’s 2019 class is already complete.

That’s where Virginia Tech’s Kerry Blackshear comes into play. He has chosen to transfer after Buzz Williams took the Texas A&M job and he’s the top transfer on the market, presumably.

Here’s why Blackshear would be a perfect fit with Michigan State.

5. Nick Ward left big void in the post

When Nick Ward made it official that he’d be declaring for the NBA draft with an agent, it was obvious that he was ready to take that next step and a return to Michigan State seems less than slightly possible.

The junior big man wanted to declare last season and that would have left a huge void in the post for a guy like Xavier Tillman, who didn’t have much experience, or incoming freshmen to fill. Luckily, Tillman has progressed much further this time around and is a sure starter heading into the 2019-20 season but no one is there to start at the four or five next to him.

Kenny Goins is gone, too, so Blackshear would fit right in to the post immediately. That void can be filled immediately by Blackshear and he would fill that last scholarship spot.

Not often does Michigan State have an open spot for the perfect grad transfer, but this is one of those rare occasions.