Michigan State losing talent from last year's team but gaining leadership, says Tom Izzo

NCAA basketball tournament: Tom Izzo Sweet 16

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo coaches during a 2014 NCAA tournament game. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

TROY -- Last year at this time, Tom Izzo was answering questions about his basketball team's national title hopes entering a year with his most talented roster in years.

This year, with three starters gone to the professional game, his team has been picked to finish anywhere from second in the Big Ten to ninth, a range Izzo says he doesn't necessarily disagree with.

But while the 2014-15 Spartans may not be as talented as the 2013-14 Spartans, Izzo says this team is deeper in another area: leadership.

"I've got two very good leaders, something I didn't think I had last year even though we had a very good team with great chemistry," Izzo said Thursday after a speech to the Adcraft Club of Detroit. "Now we have great chemistry with good leaders. Probably not as talented as last year's team, or at least with veterans."

While last years' team had plenty of veteran experience, including point guard Keith Appling and forward Adreian Payne, it had no captains.

This year, senior guard Travis Trice and junior guard Denzel Valentine were named captains over the summer, and Izzo said he's been happy with what they've brought in the offseason.

"They work but they're not afraid to drag other people into work," Izzo said. "They're two of my hardest workers. I've had a lot of guys that work hard, but not a lot of guys drag other people with them.

"You don't have a ton of those kind of guys. It'd be nice to say you do every year but you don't."

The Spartans start their fall practice sessions Friday afternoon, six weeks before their season-opener at Navy Nov. 14.

Under a recently enacted NCAA rule, Izzo has been able to work with his team for up to two hours a week for much of the summer and fall. What he's seen during that time, he said, has been good.

"Right now, knock on wood. I like my team," Izzo said. "They've had an incredible summer."

Entering the offseason, Izzo said he identified three players in particular who needed to show improvement during the offseason: Trice, Valentine and forward Branden Dawson.

Five months after the end of the season, he said that has happened.

"I know Dawson had to get better, he did," Izzo said. "Valentine and Trice, those guys had to get better and our young guys had to step up. The three guys that needed to get better all got better, and I'm anxious to see what that means."

While this year's squad may not be entering the season with national championship expectations, it is entering it with plenty of potential for growth.

"I could see this team growing and really growing into something special," Izzo said.

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