Michigan State had an impressive run in this year’s men’s NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Elite Eight before falling to Auburn, 70-64. The loss was a tough one for the Spartans, marked by a poor shooting performance — just 34.4% from the field — and a low-scoring first half with only 24 points.
Senior guard, who averaged 12.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.8 steals per game this season, is expected to move on, potentially entering the NBA draft. He shared a farewell message on Instagram after completing his four-year career at Michigan State.
He wrote a simple message on Instagram: “Thank you.”
Standing at 6-foot-4, he hasn’t been the most efficient scorer, converting only 39.4% of his shots this season and holding a 40.6% field goal percentage over his college career. However, he’s a strong perimeter threat, hitting 38% of his three-point attempts this season and an impressive 42.2% from beyond the arc during the 2023–24 campaign.
This season, he earned spots on both the All-Big Ten team and the Big Ten All-Defensive team. If he makes it to the NBA, he could carve out a role as a 3-and-D contributor coming off the bench.
Over the years, Akins appeared to leave a strong impression on Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. Izzo has praised him as the team’s hardest worker—both on the court and in the classroom—over the last two seasons.