Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's men's basketball team is set to strengthen its roster for the 2024-25 season with the addition of two new players. Head coach Tom Izzo announced that forward Frankie Fidler and center Szymon Zapala will be joining the Spartans as transfers.

Frankie Fidler, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Bellevue, Nebraska, spent three years at the University of Nebraska Omaha. During his tenure there, he earned First Team All-Summit Conference honors in the 2023-24 season by averaging 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Fidler's performance included starting all 33 games for Omaha and achieving high shooting percentages across various metrics: field goals (45.2%), three-point attempts (35.6%), and free throws (85.4%). His consistent scoring led him to reach double figures in 31 games and exceed 20 points in 17 contests.

Nationally recognized for his free throw accuracy, Fidler ranked sixth in Division I for free throws made and was among the top scorers nationwide in total points and points per game. He became only the third player from Omaha to receive all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Szymon Zapala joins Michigan State after a successful season at Longwood University in Virginia where he contributed to a Big South Championship win and an NCAA Tournament appearance. The Polish native stands at seven feet tall and averaged nearly ten points per game while connecting on over sixty percent of his shots from the floor during his time with Longwood.

Before Longwood, Zapala played under head coach Ryan Odom at Utah State for three seasons where he was recognized academically as an Academic All-Mountain West selection twice.

Zapala has also represented Poland internationally at events like the U18 FIBA European Championships where he helped secure a second-place finish with averages of 7.5 points and over five rebounds per game.

With these additions, Michigan State looks forward to leveraging both players' experiences as they aim for success in their upcoming basketball season.