Spartans Set to Make Summer League Debuts
7/5/2019 2:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Former Michigan State basketball player Kenny Goins didn't know that he would end up here – on a roster for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Summer League with a chance to start his professional career.
He didn't know he'd end up as a starter, earning All-Big Ten honors and helping to lead Michigan State to a 32-7 record as a senior, winning the Big Ten Tournament Championship and advancing to the Final Four.
In 2014, during Michigan State's third game of the season, Goins was sitting at the end of the bench as a freshman walk-on, waiting for his chance. Usually, walk-ons know their role may be limited, but Goins had a feeling he would get to play.
The game was a blow-out, and indeed, Goins was summoned.
Goins remembers Associate Head Coach Dwyane Stephens calling him and he ran to the end of the bench figuring he was going in to the game, only to find out he was not and would be sitting out the year as a red-shirt.
"At that point he tells me that we're redshirting me. You know, I was kind of embarrassed because everyone was cheering when I stood up and ran down," Goins said, adding a laugh. "But then they just sit me down and that was the first year."
That 2014-15 team was talented, and reached the Final Four. MSU's coaches saw potential in Goins, but wanted to save it.
"We just thought he had the chance to be a really good player for us down the line," said Stephens. "He wasn't going to play a lot of minutes that year because we had some established guys, so it just made sense for him to redshirt."
It was a year that helped Goins and five years later he – along with 2018-19 teammates Matt McQuaid (Detroit Pistons) and Nick Ward (Atlanta Hawks) and another former teammate, Matt Costello (Detroit Pistons) – will get a chance to continue to show that potential in the coming days at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
After three years of serving as one of the team's top reserves, Goins emerged as a redshirt senior.
"At the time, Coach Izzo just told me he thought it was best for my future and for the future of the team and I think he made the right move," said Goins, who started all 39 games for the Spartans and finished fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding with 8.9 boards per game, while adding 7.9 points and 2.3 assists.
The Big Ten coaches selected Goins as an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection, a nod to the impact he had on the Spartans last season. "I think what made them good was they understood their roles," Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins said. "I was a big fan of Goins. I think what he brought to the team … he was a 'glue' guy, he can pass, he can rebound, he's a facilitator and he showed he can make a shot."
In becoming a 'glue' guy during the course of his career at Michigan State, Goins was able to maximize what he has learned about being a teammate, something he knows will be a key to his taking the next step.
"When you've got such prolific scorers like Cash (Cassius Winston) and Josh (Langford), or guys like Quaid (Matt McQuaid) and Nick (Ward), you've kind of got to fall into place," Goins said. "You know guys like them are going to get most of the touches so just being around has made me realize my position.
"And now, making this next step, I know what I need to do and what I can do. I never thought I would have been able to be at a place like Michigan State. When I got there and started playing, I started realizing how good I actually could be. And now I know, if I put in the work, the sky is the limit."
That moment in 2014 turned out to change the course of the next four and a half years for the 6-foot-7 forward. Goins went from choosing to walk on at Michigan State over other Division I offers to being the most experienced player on the team as a fifth-year senior.
The experience of being the elder statesman allowed him to focus on bettering himself both as an individual and a teammate, becoming a voice for the team's freshmen during the course of the year about the patience needed when you come to a new place. Those are the same lessons he is reminding himself about at the start of this journey.
"I remember telling the freshmen last year that you never know when your chance is going to come," Goins said. "I really got my break when there was injury after injury and I kind of had to play out of position.
"It may not always be your time, but if your time comes, you've got to be ready."
The MGM Resorts NBA Summer League begins on Friday, July 5. The Detroit Pistons (McQuaid and Costello) play at 3 p.m. (ET) against Croatia on NBA TV. The Denver Nuggets (Goins) play against Phoenix at 11:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN. The Atlanta Hawks (Ward) will play on Saturday, July 6 against Milwaukee at 5 p.m. (ET) on NBA TV.
He didn't know he'd end up as a starter, earning All-Big Ten honors and helping to lead Michigan State to a 32-7 record as a senior, winning the Big Ten Tournament Championship and advancing to the Final Four.
In 2014, during Michigan State's third game of the season, Goins was sitting at the end of the bench as a freshman walk-on, waiting for his chance. Usually, walk-ons know their role may be limited, but Goins had a feeling he would get to play.
The game was a blow-out, and indeed, Goins was summoned.
Goins remembers Associate Head Coach Dwyane Stephens calling him and he ran to the end of the bench figuring he was going in to the game, only to find out he was not and would be sitting out the year as a red-shirt.
"At that point he tells me that we're redshirting me. You know, I was kind of embarrassed because everyone was cheering when I stood up and ran down," Goins said, adding a laugh. "But then they just sit me down and that was the first year."
That 2014-15 team was talented, and reached the Final Four. MSU's coaches saw potential in Goins, but wanted to save it.
"We just thought he had the chance to be a really good player for us down the line," said Stephens. "He wasn't going to play a lot of minutes that year because we had some established guys, so it just made sense for him to redshirt."
It was a year that helped Goins and five years later he – along with 2018-19 teammates Matt McQuaid (Detroit Pistons) and Nick Ward (Atlanta Hawks) and another former teammate, Matt Costello (Detroit Pistons) – will get a chance to continue to show that potential in the coming days at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
After three years of serving as one of the team's top reserves, Goins emerged as a redshirt senior.
"At the time, Coach Izzo just told me he thought it was best for my future and for the future of the team and I think he made the right move," said Goins, who started all 39 games for the Spartans and finished fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding with 8.9 boards per game, while adding 7.9 points and 2.3 assists.
The Big Ten coaches selected Goins as an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection, a nod to the impact he had on the Spartans last season. "I think what made them good was they understood their roles," Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins said. "I was a big fan of Goins. I think what he brought to the team … he was a 'glue' guy, he can pass, he can rebound, he's a facilitator and he showed he can make a shot."
In becoming a 'glue' guy during the course of his career at Michigan State, Goins was able to maximize what he has learned about being a teammate, something he knows will be a key to his taking the next step.
"When you've got such prolific scorers like Cash (Cassius Winston) and Josh (Langford), or guys like Quaid (Matt McQuaid) and Nick (Ward), you've kind of got to fall into place," Goins said. "You know guys like them are going to get most of the touches so just being around has made me realize my position.
"And now, making this next step, I know what I need to do and what I can do. I never thought I would have been able to be at a place like Michigan State. When I got there and started playing, I started realizing how good I actually could be. And now I know, if I put in the work, the sky is the limit."
That moment in 2014 turned out to change the course of the next four and a half years for the 6-foot-7 forward. Goins went from choosing to walk on at Michigan State over other Division I offers to being the most experienced player on the team as a fifth-year senior.
The experience of being the elder statesman allowed him to focus on bettering himself both as an individual and a teammate, becoming a voice for the team's freshmen during the course of the year about the patience needed when you come to a new place. Those are the same lessons he is reminding himself about at the start of this journey.
"I remember telling the freshmen last year that you never know when your chance is going to come," Goins said. "I really got my break when there was injury after injury and I kind of had to play out of position.
"It may not always be your time, but if your time comes, you've got to be ready."
The MGM Resorts NBA Summer League begins on Friday, July 5. The Detroit Pistons (McQuaid and Costello) play at 3 p.m. (ET) against Croatia on NBA TV. The Denver Nuggets (Goins) play against Phoenix at 11:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPN. The Atlanta Hawks (Ward) will play on Saturday, July 6 against Milwaukee at 5 p.m. (ET) on NBA TV.
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