Michigan State basketball's Jaden Akins 'up in the air' for season opener
EAST LANSING – Jaden Akins knows his feet are his future.
Michigan State basketball’s sophomore wants to err on the side of caution as he nears the end of his rehab from September foot surgery. He hopes to know more by the end of the weekend if he’ll be ready to play when the Spartans open their season Monday against Northern Arizona.
“I definitely want to get back out there, but it's got to be smart,” Akins said after practice Thursday, his first chance to get back on the court with his teammates. “I gotta go day by day and see how I'm feeling. So once I'm feeling 100%, then I'll know. But I've been feeling really good lately.”
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound combo guard from Farmington underwent surgery Sept. 10 for a stress reaction in his left foot. Akins said it was the first time he has spent time off with an injury, but he had been doing side work leading up to finally going through drills with the team Thursday.
“It's been great,” he said. “At first, I was on a scooter for two weeks and then I was in a boot. And then I was in shoes, but I wasn't running. So it's just like a constant progression. Right now, I feel like I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm at.”
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MSU coach Tom Izzo said he won’t push Akins’ recovery and plans for him to work out again Friday, Saturday and Sunday and assess if there is any pain and see how his body feels. That will determine whether Akins will try to play against Northern Arizona (7 p.m., BTN+) or if Izzo will hold him out and try to push his debut to the Armed Forces Classic against No. 2 Gonzaga aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego on Nov. 11.
“That was the most he's done,” Izzo said of Akins’ workout Thursday. “Now this week, he branches onto another stage. And then big thing is (Friday) morning. How does he feel and what does he do? But he was pretty good today. He moved good. He looks great, he's 10 pounds heavier. And (Akins) is a lot to lose, because I think he's still my best two-way player, offense and defense.”
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Akins averaged 3.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.6 steals in 14.8 minutes a game last season. He shot 39.4% overall and 38% on 3-pointers, finishing a plus-20 thanks to quick feet and hands on defense.
“I just know that I'm progressing,” he said. “Monday is up in the air. I'm gonna practice this weekend. And that's really coach's decision on Monday.”
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball: Jaden Akins 'up in the air' for opener
