Izzo Steals One: 3-Star PF Clark Going to Michigan State

A late-entrant in the competition to sign 3-Star PF Marvin Clark (#64 PF, #250 National), Coach Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans managed to gain the young forward's favor over Indiana and Kansas State, the two other front-runners for Clark's services.

Coach Izzo's recruiting ace-in-the-hole came in the form of Lourawls Nairn, Jr. (#22 PG, #99 National), Clark's fellow Sunrise Christian (Wichita, KS) teammate whom committed to play for the Spartans in November.

An impressive athletic specimen at 6-foot-7, 225-pounds - think Kawhi Leonard-esque in terms of build - the combination of a foot fracture he sustained last year and a reclassification to the Class of 2014 has contributed to Clark flying under-the-radar throughout his high school career. With a powerful frame and smooth jumper, Clark has averaged nearly 22 points and 7 rebounds per game this season playing at either forward position on Sunrise Christian's postgraduate team. Clark's positional versatility will grant Izzo the opportunity to have him play both out on the wing and down in the post depending on lineups and match-ups.

The commitment of Clark, along with Nairn, Jr. and 3-star commit Javon Bess (#47 SF, #197 National), saves the Spartans from consecutive seasons of uncharacteristically middling recruiting classes.

The Hoosiers, on the other hand, are still holding out hope that 4-star Illinois prospect Josh Cunningham (#25 SF, #107 National) will eschew Bradley in favor of IU to bolster another stellar recruiting class for Coach Crean.

This may not be the end of the Spartans signings, as they still have Montague Gill-Caesar (#3 SG, #18 National) - a possible reclassification from the Class of 2015 to the Class of 2014 - in their sights. A late-season poaching of two top talents in Gill-Caesar and Clark would position Michigan State's 2014 class as one of the best in the nation - a position Izzo has become quite accustomed to.