MSU Lands Arizona Big Man: 7-Foot Five-Star Recruit Ranked 27th in Nation Commits to Spartans Basketball
The buzz around East Lansing erupted into a roar on Tuesday afternoon as Michigan State basketball secured one of the most coveted signatures of the 2025 recruiting cycle. KJ Armstrong, a towering 7-foot center out of Chandler, Arizona, and ranked the No. 27 overall prospect in the country by 247Sports Composite, officially committed to Tom Izzo’s Spartans, instantly electrifying the future of the program.
Armstrong, a five-star phenom from Desert Ridge Prep, dominated the West Coast circuit over the past two years. Known for his blend of old-school post presence and new-era mobility, Armstrong averaged 22.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game during his senior season while leading his team to the Arizona 6A State Championship. His commitment marks the highest-rated big man MSU has landed since Jaren Jackson Jr. in 2017.
“I chose Michigan State because of the culture, the coaching, and the chance to develop into the best version of myself,” Armstrong said during his live announcement on ESPN. “Coach Izzo has proven time and time again that he molds bigs into complete players—and I want to be next in line.”
Described by scouts as a “rim protector with the touch of a forward and the vision of a guard,” Armstrong combines elite shot-blocking with a soft shooting stroke from mid-range and emerging confidence from three-point range. He runs the floor like a wing and plays with an edge that has drawn comparisons to former Spartan Xavier Tillman, but with a ceiling that stretches toward the NBA lottery.
Tom Izzo, entering his 31st season, didn’t hold back his excitement. “We’ve been watching KJ for a long time. He’s got the skill, the size, and most importantly—the mindset. He’s a Spartan through and through,” Izzo said. “He wants to win, he wants to grow, and he wants to do it the right way. This is a huge day for our program.”
Armstrong chose Michigan State over offers from Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke, each of which made aggressive late pushes. But it was a quiet official visit to East Lansing in late June that reportedly sealed the deal. Sources close to the program say the Arizona native connected deeply with the team’s current roster, particularly rising sophomore point guard Trey Wallace, who is expected to be the Spartans’ floor general for the foreseeable future.
KJ’s family also played a major role. His father, Marcus Armstrong—a former pro in Europe—praised Izzo’s legendary reputation for developing players beyond the court. “This is about more than basketball,” Marcus said. “Michigan State isn’t just building athletes, they’re building men.”
Armstrong’s commitment now gives MSU the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation for 2025, joining four-star sharpshooter Micah Bell (Indiana) and dynamic combo guard Jaylen “Jet” Washington (Michigan). With Armstrong anchoring the paint, expectations are already soaring for the Spartans to return to Final Four contention.
As word of the commitment spread, students packed into the plaza outside the Breslin Center. Cheers rang out, green and white flags waved, and chants of “Go Green! Go White!” echoed into the night.
In a program built on toughness, tradition, and talent—KJ Armstrong fits the mold. And come next November, when the lights go up in the Breslin, a new Spartan era may just be taking shape beneath the rim.
