Joey Hauser says he is 'probably not' returning to Michigan State next year
East Lansing, Mich. – Joey Hauser said following Michigan State basketball practice, late Tuesday morning, that he is not planning to seek an additional year of eligibility. This season will almost certainly be his last as a Spartan.
“I guess you can never say never, but probably not,” Hauser said, when asked if he is considering the pursuit of an additional season.
Michigan State fans chanted “One more year!” at Spartan seniors Tyson Walker, Malik Hall and Hauser during Senior Day ceremonies following the Spartans’ victory over Ohio State on Saturday.
“I’ve already used up my one more year,” Hauser said with a smile on Tuesday.
Walker and Hall say they will make decisions following the end of the season. Neither has ruled out taking advantage of the NCAA’s COVID rule which doesn’t count the 2020 season against eligibility.
Hauser is a sixth-year senior. He began his college career when he took a medical redshirt as a true freshman at Marquette during the 2017-18 season. He played one year at Marquette and then transferred to Michigan State.
The NCAA did not grant him a waiver of immediate eligibility for the 2019-20 season, so he sat out as a transfer during the Spartans’ most recent Big Ten Championship season. But that season didn’t count against his eligibility due to the COVID rule.
Hauser averaged 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game during the 2020-21 season at Michigan State, his first as a Spartan, listed as a redshirt-junior.
Last year, as a redshirt-senior, he averaged 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. His 27-point performance against Davidson in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament lit a growing fire within him to come back for a sixth year.
As for a seventh year, Hauser potentially could have petitioned the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility but is opting against it.
Hauser, 23, kissed the Spartan head logo at mid-court on Senior Day last season, and again on Saturday.
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“A third time would be one of a kind, so no (that won’t be happening),” he said.
Hauser is averaging career highs in points (14.2) and rebounds (7.0).
He leads the team in 3-point field goal percentage at .459. He was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten on Tuesday.
13 months ago, Hauser was leaning toward moving on with his life outside of basketball and not returning for the 2022-23 season. But his positive experiences near the end of the season led him to decide in April to return this year.
He is glad he made that choice.
“It’s extremely gratifying,” he said. “I guess I never really had expectations on what kind of year I wanted to have. I just wanted to have fun and not have any regrets, and I think I accomplished that.”
Hauser’s brother, Sam Hauser, is averaging 6.1 points per game this year for the Boston Celtics. None other than Magic Johnson has said on social media that he believes Joey could find a home in the NBA.
“He has improved a lot,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said last week when asked if Hauser could potentially come back. “There’s people that are going to have some interest in Joey Hauser now. If there’s enough interest, I would say sayonara.”
And that appears to be what’s happening.
Hauser will look to lead Michigan State this weekend to its first Big Ten Tournament Championship since 2019.
Michigan State is 19-11 and will be the No. 4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans will begin play on Friday afternoon.
Michigan State has won the Big Ten Tournament six times, more than any other team.
