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Michigan State's first-round loss to 15-seed Middle Tennessee State will go down as one of the biggest upsets in NCAA basketball history. Luckily for Spartans fans, Tom Izzo's squad will be fully reloaded next season - thanks in large part to the recruiting efforts of one notable former Spartan: Golden State Warriors All-Star Draymond Green.
In a recent piece for SB Nation, Ricky O'Donnell broke down the ways in which Green helped land Izzo the best recruiting class in the coach's 21-year tenure.
Here, from O'Donnell, are some of Green's most successful tactics:
He has a group text message with every player at Michigan State this season, and has started playing an integral role in Izzo's recruiting efforts. Green is very close with [All-American Miles] Bridges and the rest of MSU's incoming class, accompanying them on their official visit last fall at an MSU-Oregon football game, when he was carrying the Larry O'Brien trophy all over campus.
Green even FaceTimed with Bridges from the Warriors' locker room immediately after winning the NBA Championship. Stephen Curry made a cameo.
Here's a screenshot that Bridges took while FaceTiming with Green and Curry.
Congratulations to the Bros ???? @Money23Green @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/5untPICvO4
- Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges01) May 28, 2015