The early signing period for men's basketball is underway, opening on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and running through Wednesday, Nov. 18.
On Thursday, Nov. 12, Michigan State was able to officially sign its two class of 2027 commits — five-star point guard
Antonio Pemberton and four-star center Jaydn Jenkins.
With Pemberton and Jenkins officially added to MSU's 2027-2028 roster, it also allowed head coach Tom Izzo to discuss his newest recruits publicly for the first time.
"It was OKG — they were both 'our kind of guys,'" Izzo said about Pemberton and Jenkins on Thursday. "We're happy to have both of them here, and both of them are gonna be good Spartans that fit into what we (want)."
For more details on Pemberton and Jenkins, continue reading below.
Five-star point guard Antonio Pemberton
School (location): Masters Academy International (Stow, Massachusetts)
MSU commitment date: Sept. 18, 2026
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 165 pounds
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 24 overall, No. 5 point guard, No. 1 in Massachusetts
Rivals/On3 Industry Ranking: No. 23 overall, No. 6 point guard, No. 1 in Massachusetts
ESPN Ranking: No. 25 overall, No. 6 point guard, No. 1 in Massachusetts
Other notable offers: Tennessee, Kansas, Michigan, Creighton, UCLA, Ohio State, Marquette, Alabama, Auburn, Utah, Clemson, Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Maryland, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Washington and more
Thoughts: Pemberton continues Izzo's strong run of bringing elite point guard prospects to East Lansing. He committed to the Spartans on Sept. 18, following an official visit during the program's "Grind Week" the weekend before. In addition to playing his high school ball at Masters Academy International, Pemberton also plays on the AAU circuit for Mass Rivals.
Pemberton is considered a five-star recruit by the 247Sports Composite rankings, and was one of just 29 prospects in the 2027 class to earn that distinction. He was one of the most coveted players in the country, garnering more than 30 scholarship offers in total. He was a top target for Izzo and the MSU staff. In fact, once it was permitted on the recruiting calendar, Izzo showed up to Pemberton’s house at midnight to recruit him. Izzo has a lot of praise for Pemberton's family.
Pemberton is an impressive shot-creator, but he also possesses strong lead-guard abilities as a passer and playmaker, with excellent ball-handling. He can score from all three levels. The Spartans also like how he defends, despite his smaller stature. His pace of play also stands out. This past summer for Mass Rivals on on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, Pemberton averaged 26.5 points, 5.7 assists 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, according to thecircuithoops.com. Pemberton earned MVP and Offensive MVP for Session III.
Izzo on Pemberton: "Antonio is an explosive guard. He can really shoot the ball. He can score in a lot of different ways — he’s got a pull-up (jumper), he’s got a long range (shot), he can get to the basket, he’s athletic enough to finish in there ... When we first saw him, he was a guy I was really excited about. He comes from Massachusetts, not an area we recruit a lot, but Brewster Academy, (I) had been there a few times, and it’s become the Masters Academy, and they play good people.
"He’s got incredible parents, and when they made the visit here, it was exciting because you could tell they were excited, and that’s kind of what we’re looking for: people that want to be here compared to the ones you've get to beg to be here. So, his range, his ability to create at three levels (stands out), and then he’s a pretty disruptive, strong defender, even though he doesn’t have great size,. So, I loved his competitiveness (and) his leadership."
Four-star center Jaydn Jenkins
School (location): Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pennsylvania)
MSU commitment date: Sept. 30, 2026
Height: 6-foot-10
Weight: 220 pounds
247Sports Composite Ranking: No. 60 overall, No. 9 center, No. 1 in Pennsylvania
Rivals/On3 Industry Ranking: No. 63 overall, No. 8 center, No. 1 in Pennsylvania
ESPN Ranking: No. 51 overall, No. 8 center, No. 2 in Pennsylvania
Other notable offers: Xavier, Georgetown, Ohio State, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and others.
Thoughts: Michigan State knew it wanted a center in the 2027 recruiting class, and identified Jenkins as an early priority target whom the program eventually landed. Jenkins is one of the top-ranked centers in the class, ranking in the top-10 of the country at the position across multiple recruiting services. The 6-foot-10, 220-pound Jenkins possesses a 7-foot-4 wingspan. Like Pemberton, Jenkins officially visited during "Grind Week." He committed to the Spartans a couple of weeks later, on Sept. 30.
Many analysts believe that Jenkins has the tools and potential to be a future NBA player, but he is likely going to need some developmental time at Michigan State before that becomes a reality. He has built a reputation as one of the top shot blockers and rim protectors in the 2027 class due to his size, length, mobility and anticipation. Like Pemberton, Izzo has a lot of praise for Jenkins' family.
During the 2025-2026 season at Archbishop Wood, Jenkins averaged 9.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 3.7 blocks per game. He also played for Team Final on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he averaged 9.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during Session IV of the Nike EYBL, according to thecircuithoops.com.
Jenkins also has experience with the USA National Team. He previously participated in the 2026 USA Men's Under-18 National Team training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in the 2026 Men's Junior National Team minicamp in Indianapolis.
Izzo on Jenkins: "Jaydn is guy with quick-twitch muscles and (a) quick jumper," Izzo said about Jenkins. "He’s a guy from Pennsylvania (that) has great length, 7-foot-four-inch wingspan, great mobility. Really, (he's) got a chance to be a dynamic two-way player. He can block shots — he can do some things there. He’s got great athleticism. He’s got to keep improving his offensive skills, but he’s got some run to the basket. He’s very well coached at Archbishop (Wood), and plays against good people there. He has experience with the U.S. National Team — he played with them in that program. His mom was great too, and his dad made the trip, but his mom was very, very involved, (and) his brother and his high school coach."
