The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

At the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball media day, Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr's senior season was one of the topics of discussion as the head coach bestowed him with a rare honour.

Head coach Tom Izzo named Nairn Jr a team captain for the third consecutive year.

"Tum Tum Nairn, third year as a team captain. Probably go down as one of the greatest programme guys of all time," Izzo said. "He doesn't let playing time on the court, his role, his leadership, doesn't worry about scoring, doesn't worry about all the things. I've had a lot of good and cool leaders over my time here, but none maybe that has done more for not only our community, our school, our players, our coaching staff; this is a special kid."

Izzo said former Spartan and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green encouraged him to name Nairn Jr as a team captain ever since his first season in East Lansing.

"That very first year, Draymond was back for the whole summer and told me that I should name him captain. I said, "We don't have freshmen captains." He said, "You got one now." We didn't, but he acted like it then. There haven't been many three-year captains," he said, "He's worthy of that accolade, and I just think he's a guy that makes you appreciate life. He started a motto at the beginning of the summer. One day somebody was complaining about being there for some reason. He said, "You don't understand, we don't have to do this, we get to do this." That has kind of been a motto of our team every day. It's so true. The neat part is I believe it, but he lives it. He's taken it one step farther. He lives it. That makes it good for me. He teaches me probably more than I've taught him. Hopefully, he's going to will this team to have one of the great years in Michigan State history. That's what we're looking to do."

Nairn was awarded the Stephen G Scofes Inspirational Player Award this past offseason for the third straight year when the Spartans hosted its annual Men's Basketball Awards Banquet for the 2016-17 season.

"Tum is going to help me get to the level I want to get to. I talked to a couple of NBA guys that were in yesterday. Seth Greenberg was in from ESPN doing something yesterday. I walked up to all of them at the end. Their words were, "He's incredible." I said, "Who is that?" They were talking about Tum. I tell him this, I guess I could tell you this, he might be my ninth, 10th most talented guy. Depends on how you rate talent," Izzo said.

That leadership will be tested this season as Nairn is in a position battle with sophomore Cassius Winston.

Nairn averaged 3.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a junior last season while Winston posted 6.7 points, 5.2 assists and shot 38 percent from three as a freshman.

"The neatest thing I've seen in those two guys is they embrace each other like it's special. There's no jealousy between Cassius and Tum, and no jealousy between Tum and Cassius. I think everybody's aware that on paper there's no doubt, they're going to play together some," Izzo said, "I think they'll help each other. I think they compete against each other every day. It helps make Tum a little better shooter because Cassius teaches him that. It makes Cassius a little better defender because Tum teaches him that. I'm blessed with having two guys that get along and understand that we need them both. I think they'll do that all year.

Winston said the competition for playing time has not had a negative effect on the relationship between the two.

We're brothers. It's as simple as you can put it, we're brothers. He's an amazing person and that's why it's so easy to follow him. Whatever Tum asks from us, we're going to do. No questions asked. That's the kind of respect we have for him," Winston said, "That's our leader. When things are going rough, not even on the court, but off the court, that's who we go to. He's the first person we call."

Nairn has embraced his role as a leader, particularly to the younger players on the roster.

"It's been fun for me, having two freshmen coming in. Also seeing our four freshmen from last year grow. I can never complain about being in the position I am, and my role on the team. It's been fun getting to know them even more than I did last year, just hanging out with them and learning more about them. I think this is a really special group," he said, "It's not that we have to, it's that we get to. It's not you've got to go to practice or you've got to go weights. You get to go to practice and you get to go to weights. A lot of people don't have that same opportunity and would die to be in your position. I think if you start looking at it as you know, I get to do this, you have more appreciation for it and that's why I'm here. Everybody's not alike, and everybody has different strengths and certain strengths. My strength is appreciating every single day that I get to see. I just want the guys to know that they can do that same thing."

After leading and facilitating for other players for the last three years, Nairn said he now has a new perspective as a senior in his final campaign.

"My whole deal since I've been here because it was instilled in me as a freshman, that you send your seniors out the right way. It's emotional for me, being on the end of the spectrum now," he said, "It's Tum's senior year but I've always been playing for my teammates, playing for the guys that have been putting in the work for the program, even playing for the guys that I never even played with. Just the whole alumni base - Draymond (Green), Travis Walton, Mateen (Cleaves), Magic (Johnson) - just playing for all those guys as well, and I think that's what makes Michigan State so special."