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Commit Julius Avent on Michigan State: 'Our relationship definitely picked up in the summer'

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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has added a second piece to his 2026 recruiting class, as four-star forward Julius Avent announced his commitment to the Spartans on Wednesday via social media.

Avent (6-8, 220) is the No. 80 recruit in the 2026 class, per the Rivals Industry Rankings. He’s also the No. 11 power forward and No. 2 player from New Jersey in his class.

The Springfield (N.J.) Bergen Catholic star chose the Spartans fresh off of his official visit to Xavier, which wrapped up on Sept. 26. Avent took an official visit to Michigan State over the weekend of Aug. 30.

Avent cancelled future official visits to Penn State, Providence and Seton Hall upon his commitment to the Spartans. Avent has family connections to the Seton Hall program, as his father, Anthony Avent, played for the Pirates in the late 1980s.

Izzo visited Avent at his school late last week, which helped spark the final decision. Michigan State assistant coach Thomas Kelley spearheaded the recruitment for over a year.

“Our relationship definitely picked up in the summer,” Avent told SpartanMag. “Before it was more so with Coach Kelley, and then it really picked up with Izzo over the summer, getting to meet him and start talking to him a lot more. It was nice, especially when he came up to the school. We had a good conversation – him, my coach and I.”

Avent averaged 11 points and six rebounds on 44 percent shooting for the PSA Cardinals on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer.

“(Izzo) likes my versatility – how I can push the ball off the rebound, set up the offense, but also be someone who plays off the ball. Defensive versatility, too,” Avent said. “Just being an overall player for the team. That’s what he says a lot.”

Michigan State now holds two commitments in its 2026 class. Avent joins four-star point guard Carlos Medlock, originally of Wayne (Mich.) Memorial High School. The Spartans are heavily involved in the recruitments of four-star shooting guard Jasiah Jervis, four-star forward Maximo Adams, four-star center Ethan Taylor and three-star center Max Meyer.

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