SPRINGFIELD — Michigan State men’s basketball team will receive a budding dynamic duo next fall.
Carlos Medlock Jr. and Ethan Taylor competed at the 2026 Panini Hoophall Classic with Link Academy (MO), playing two games on Saturday and Sunday against Montverde Academy (FL) and Arizona Compass Prep (AZ) respectively.
Medlock Jr., a 5-foot-11 point guard from Ypsilanti, Mich., is the No. 68 ranked recruit in the Class of 2026. His father, Carlos Medlock Sr., was a four-star recruit from Detroit who started at Eastern Michigan University for four years before spending 12 years playing internationally, including Germany, Greece and Turkey.
“It’s a great feeling, just being a part of a big atmosphere and a great coach (like Tom Izzo),” Medlock Jr. said. “Going back home to my city… it’s a great feeling, just to support the fans and do it for the ones that I really love out there.”
The Medlock family traveled from country to country before returning to Westland, Mich., where Medlock Jr. later enrolled at Wayne Memorial High School. He played two years for the Zebras before transferring to Link Academy in 2024 and reclassifying to the Class of 2026.
“I didn’t want my family to have to fly (to see me play) … just like now, it’s kind of weird,” Medlock Jr. said. “They got to drive, get a flight, come here and then all this weather… going through all that chaos.
“I really just do it for my family, everything I do is for my family.”
Medlock Jr. starred in Link’s 64-59 win over Montverde Academy (FL) on Saturday, scoring 25 points on 8-16 from the field, including four of five from downtown. He also snatched five steals, showing off his quick hands and shooting ability.
But what doesn’t reflect in the stat sheet is his command of his teammates on the court. With Medlock Jr. at the helm, Link Academy’s offense never looked out-of-sync or directionless.
“(The Spartans) going to get a leader, there’s going to be another leader (alongside Jeremy Fears Jr.),” Medlock Jr. said. “I’m going to go in there and be that leader, that vocal, energetic guy, that hypes the fans up and just all-around scores.
“I can do everything, play defense, play our offense, shoot the ball really well ―I’m just giving the people what they ask for.”
Sunday’s matchup against Arizona Compass Prep (AZ) was less fruitful for Medlock Jr. The point guard scored 14 points on 4-13 from the field and made just one of six from downtown. He grabbed two steals as well and played all 32 minutes for the second straight night, but the effort was not enough to overcome AZ Compass.
Also joining the Spartans this fall is Medlock Jr.’s Link Academy teammate, Ethan Taylor. A physically imposing 7-footer with a seven-foot-three wingspan, Taylor is from Shawnee Mission, Kan. and the No. 44 ranked recruit in the Class of 2026.
Taylor did not have a standout performance in Springfield, with fellow top-100 recruit Tristan Reed taking the majority of the center minutes in Link’s two Hoophall games. Competing for minutes with another top-ranked center has taken time for Taylor to get used to, but he understands how such an environment can help maximize his potential.
“It’s been really good, honestly it’s been a really big adjustment for me,” Taylor said. “We’re going against high-level guys every day, every single morning. You got to compete, bring your best.
“I’ve not been the best, I’ve struggled with it. But it’s all going to make me better. Had a few things I had to get over, but it’s all making me better.”
Taylor visited East Lansing for the first time in early October for Michigan State Madness with Medlock Jr. A family emergency cut his visit short, but Taylor’s mind was nearly made up before leaving the Great Lake State.
“Fans were amazing, I love the players, very welcoming and obviously the coaches are great,” Taylor said. “It was really all said and done once I got out there because I was treated like a player on my visit. I wasn’t just treated like another recruit.”
The duo have already formed a strong partnership on the court, but nurturing that chemistry will be the key to their success as a duo.
“Even after we got back from the visit, (Medlock Jr.) was on my head heavy about when I was going to make my decision, how I was feeling,” Taylor said. “He’s been really good to me, we really built a good bond… whether it’s getting up shots together, working out together, building our games (or) just sitting together and talking.”
