Five-star point guard Antonio Pemberton committed to Michigan State on Friday, announcing his decision live on the CBS Sports College Basketball channel.

Grind Week Sealed Antonio Pemberton’s Decision

Pemberton, a senior at Masters Academy International in Massachusetts, decided after visiting East Lansing on Sept. 11 for the Spartans’ annual grind week. He is ranked 20th overall in the 247Sports rankings for the 2027 class, the fifth-best point guard and the top-ranked prospect in Massachusetts.

“When I was there on grind week, the energy, the love, the community, even the coaching staff on and off the court, that’s what pushed me to commit,” Pemberton said. “And just the love from everybody at Michigan State was amazing.”

Pemberton picked the Spartans and Tom Izzo over seven other finalists: Boston College, Creighton, Kansas, Marquette, Ohio State, Tennessee and UCLA. While he had visits on the calendar with all of his finalists, he completed official visits only with Creighton, Kansas, Tennessee and his final destination, Michigan State.

Michigan State’s 2027-28 Backcourt Takes Shape

The commitment lands while the Spartans prepare for life without Jeremy Fears Jr. Fears is eligible to return in 2027-28, but CBS Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein said on the commitment broadcast that early indications are Michigan State does not expect him back for that year. Fears withdrew from the 2026 NBA Draft in May to come back to East Lansing.

Pemberton arrives for the 2027-28 season, when the MSU backcourt could also feature guards Carlos Medlock Jr. and Kur Teng, both on the current roster.

Pemberton is bringing a scorer’s motor to East Lansing. As a junior at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, he averaged 17.0 points and 5.0 assists per game across 36 games.

“You’re going to get a motor guard for sure, a dog, someone that just loves the game and someone who just wants to win every single day,” Pemberton said.