Tyson Walker Added to Men’s Basketball Roster

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo announced Wednesday that Northeastern University sophomore guard Tyson Walker will join Spartans next season as a transfer.

"We're excited to welcome Tyson to our program and think he will be a great addition for our team," Izzo said. "He's a talented player who had two really strong years at Northeastern playing for a great coach in Bill Coen.

"In watching Tyson play, he's a guy who can get his teammates open looks, he can get into the lane and he's a crafty finisher because of his speed. He was named his league's defensive player of the year and he's got a good feel and vision for the game. He brings two years of college experience with him and we're looking forward to having him join the Spartan Family."

Walker helped lead Northeastern to its fourth Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular season title last year as the Huskies went 8-2 in league play and finished 10-8 overall. In 18 games during the 2020-21 season, Walker led Northeastern with 18.6 points per game, while adding 4.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game, which ranked No. 13 in the country.

"I'm really excited to come to Michigan State and can't wait to get on campus," Walker said. "I'm looking forward to meeting the team and I just can't wait to start playing. I had two really good years at Northeastern and I appreciate Coach Coen and his staff for giving me a chance. I was really impressed with the coaching staff at MSU, felt a good connection with Coach Izzo and his staff and the history of the program was a big part of it. Getting the chance to play in the Big Ten is exciting and I'm very eager for the opportunity to play at Michigan State."

In CAA games, the 6-foot guard led the CAA in scoring with 19.3 points and 2.5 steals per game. He connected on 44.8 percent of his shots from the floor (113-of-352), including 37.1 percent from 3-point land (39-of-105). Walker was named the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-CAA first team selection.

Walker scored in double figures in 17 of 18 games last season, including the last 16. He led the CAA with a pair of 30-point games and scored 27 at North Carolina on Feb. 17, becoming the first player in four seasons to score 20 or more points in the first half against the Tar Heels.

A native of Westbury, N.Y., Walker was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award, announced by CollegeInsider.com and presented annually to the top mid-major player in college basketball. Walker was selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District first team and was a finalist for the Lefty Driesell National Player of the Year, given annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball.

As a freshman in 2019-20, Walker was a starter in 29 of 31 games, averaging 10.4 points 3.4 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. Walker scored in double figures 18 times, including a then-career-high 32 points against Elon. He finished third in the CAA in steals per game, fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5) and eighth in assists per game.

He became just the sixth freshman in program history to surpass 100 assists, led all freshmen in the CAA in assists (104) and steals (56), was second among all freshmen in scoring. Walker was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team.
In 49 career games (47 starts), Walker averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals, while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor (237-of-528), 36.1 percent from 3-point land (74-of-205) and 73.2 percent from the free throw line (109-of-149).

Related Videos