Michigan State basketball: All-time starting 5 – From Magic to Mateen

2. G Mateen Cleaves (1996-2000)

It’s only fitting our top players on the team are champions and Cleaves was the next logical choice to fill out the all-time Michigan State starting five. Cleaves joins teammate Peterson again as stalwarts in the lineup.

One of four players on his team to come from Flint, Michigan, Cleaves was the leader of the “Flintstones” editions of Michigan State basketball in the late ’90s. Cleaves was named the Spartans’ captain in his sophomore year and served as Michigan State’s unquestioned leader for the remainder of his college career.

Leadership was just one part of Cleaves’ skill set, which also included some prolific performance on the court. Cleaves is the only three-time All-American in Michigan State basketball history and he took home the Big Ten’s Player of the Year Award in 1998 and 1999.

The postseason play was where Cleaves shined brightest, being named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1999 and the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 2000. Cleaves closed his college career as a champion, playing the main role on the 2000 title team that is (to date) the last Michigan State squad to win it all.

The NBA wasn’t as kind to Cleaves, who had a journeyman career after being selected in the lottery by the Detroit Pistons, but he will forever go down as a Michigan State basketball legend. Cleaves will have to play off the ball here, however, as there is another star ready to man the point for Michigan State basketball’s all-time team.