Denzel Valentine is one of the most iconic college basketball players ever, playing four seasons for the Michigan State University Spartans.
He became just the fourth MSU player to ever record a triple-double, won the 2016 AP Player of the Year, and competed in the NCAA Tournament — a.k.a March Madness — in every year of his Spartan career.
Eight years on from his final year in white and green, following an impressive career that has taken him from the Chicago Bulls to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and now to the Sydney Kings in Australia’s NBL, Valentine reflects on his time in East Lansing and acknowledges it as the most important period of his life.
Denzel Valentine reflects on March Madness memories
A Michigan native, Valentine joined his hometown university as a relatively unknown prospect, ranked 98th out of ESPNU100, but by the time he graduated four years later, he had skyrocketed up the list, taken with the 14th pick in the 2016 draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Valentine credits his development both on and off the court to the culture at MSU, led by legendary coach Tom Izzo.
“I learned a lot at Michigan State. I came there, boy, and then became a man there,” Valentine said.
“I learned a lot of stuff off the court, Coach Izzo did a good job with developing us on the court and off the court.
“A lot of talks, a lot of stuff that you realise that you have to grow up on and mature on in college, so I give a lot of credit to him in that.
“My teammates were great there, we had a great culture, everybody was bought in. Some years we won championships, other years we just had really good years, went to a Final Four.”
It was during the 2014-15 season that the Spartans were semi-finalists, with Valentine averaging 14.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
Despite falling to Duke in their final game, it was the game before this, against Louisville in the Elite Eight, which Valentine counts among his favourite memories of his entire career.
“Beating Louisville in the Elite Eight game was crazy just because I dreamed of going to a Final Four all my life pretty much,” Valentine said.
“To go there and actually get it done, when the buzzer went off, I just ran straight to my brother.
“It’s a clip in the March Madness run, I ran straight to my brother because he was the GA [graduate assistant] at the time. Ran straight to him, we hugged, and then I had a moment with my dad where he jumped on me, came out of the stands, and then cutting down the nets.
“I think we traveled that night or the next morning coming back to Michigan State, and the whole Breslin Center was full of fans just cheering us on, so it was crazy.”
Valentine’s brother, Drew Valentine, has since also moved on from MSU, and is now the current head coach of Loyola-Chicago.
This gives the Sydney King a second team to support in the NCAA, meaning double the excitement come tournament time.
“Shout out to my brother’s team, Loyola-Chicago,” Valentine said.
“He’s a head coach in Chicago for a Division 1 school and they’re number one in the league, so I think they’re going to make the tournament and do good.”
As for which team he would support if his alma mater came up against his brother’s squad?
“Loyola. Family over everything. But it’s a win-win. If they lose, it’s like, all right, at least Michigan State won.”
