Cassius Winston closes door on potential fifth year at MSU

Cassius Winston has been at Michigan State for seemingly forever, but even forever has to end at some point.

Speaking with the media this week, the longtime Spartans guard was asked about the potential of returning to school for a fifth year if granted eligibility.

“Absolutely not. I’m not coming back,” he replied, per Brad Galli of WXYZ Detroit. “That was my time at MSU. That’s all MSU got out of me right there.”

The 22-year-old Winston joined the Spartans as a freshman in 2016 and had been a mainstay there ever since. His four years with the team saw him make two All-American teams and win Big Ten Player of the Year while Michigan State took home three conference titles and made the Final Four in 2019.

While Winston, who put up 18.6 points and 5.9 assists per game this season, did not get a chance to add to his resume with an NCAA Tournament run this year, he accomplished almost everything he could at the college level. He also became a beloved figure in the MSU fanbase and should now get a chance to prove himself in the NBA, likely as a late second-round pick.