How Jaden Akins could be X-factor for Michigan State down the stretch
Many have already put the cap back on the pen after writing off Michigan State men’s basketball team. A bumpy journey to a 17-10 record after entering this season with goals of a Final Four run was enough of a case for outsiders to do just that.
Coming off a bad loss to Iowa and with only four games left in the regular season, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is still searching for answers, but there’s one player specifically who could be key in helping change the trajectory of the Spartans’ season.
Jaden Akins is about as low key and low maintenance as a sharpshooter with star potential can be. But the Farmington High grad might just be the X-factor for Michigan State as the team heads into the final leg of the season.
“I feel like when I play well, we usually play well as a team,” Akins said Friday after practice. “So just got to find that for the last stretch of the season so we can go far.”
Izzo doesn’t have to worry about telling Akins to cool it when it comes to his shooting. Rarely does Izzo take issue with Akins’ shot selection.
“When Jaden shoots it, I feel like it’s going in,” Izzo said. “I feel good about it.”
But Izzo needs more from Akins on both ends of the floor.
“He’s got to shoot and he’s got to defend,” Izzo said. “He can put the ball on the floor OK, but what he’s doing is he’s passing up shots and it’s hard to get him shots.”
Akins doesn’t feel like he’s been shy of letting the ball fly. He’s averaging three made 3-pointers over the last seven games.
“If I’m open, I got a shot, I’m gonna shoot it,” Akins said.
But he did agree that he can do a better job rebounding, driving inside and trying
to get to the free-throw line more frequently.
Akins started the season by putting an obvious emphasis on rebounding, but that urgency on the boards has faded as the season has gone on. In the season opener against James Madison,
Akins corralled a season-high 11 rebounds. He grabbed seven and eight rebounds in the next two games but hasn’t snatched more than six in a night since and has averaged only 3.7 rebounds per game this season.
Akins is in the midst of one of his best shooting stretches this season as he’s converting on a 45.7% clip from 3-point range over the last seven games. But Izzo doesn’t want Akins to rely on his outside shot. In fact, he wants to see Akins do a better job exploiting driving lanes and trying to get to the free throw line — something he’s only done once this month.
“He’s improved some of his passing but I need him to run the lane, get the ball and shoot the damn ball because he’s probably my best pure shooter,” Izzo said.
“When he went 6-for-7, we were a different team. And now he’s not going to go 6-for-7 from the 3 every night, but I really believe Jaden Akins can be a difference maker because, like a Gary Harris, he can play both ends of the court, I think he can rebound even though he’s small for a wing rebounder… If he gets in the open court, we get him to run those lanes, he could attack the rim and do something in that respect, which would get him to the free throw line.”
Akins tested the NBA waters last summer before deciding to return to Michigan State for his junior season with the hopes of further honing his skills. He’s improved as a defender and ball handler.
But with Michigan State’s season winding down, the Spartans need him to play the role that landed him in NBA draft chatter a year ago. And he knows that if he can catch lightning in the bottle over the next few weeks that Michigan State could be in a very different situation than where it is now.
“If we all are playing our best, I feel like it’s hard to beat us,” Akins said. “So that’s something that we’re striving to do because I know that we will win games if we do that.
“I think it’ll happen and we just got to play desperately and [like our] life is on the line. I feel like it’s gonna happen.”