For nearly two years, Carlos Medlock Jr. has quietly carved up high school defenses across the Midwest. No viral highlights. No national headlines. Just cold, calculated buckets—and a relentless will to win.
That all changed this week.
On Tuesday afternoon, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo personally made the call. The Spartans, known for their blue-collar ethos and hard-nosed guards, are now officially in pursuit of Medlock—the 6-foot-1 point guard from Flint, Michigan who’s gone from overlooked to undeniable.
“He’s not flashy. He’s just tough,” said one Big Ten assistant coach who’s followed Medlock since his sophomore year. “He doesn’t talk much. He doesn’t tweet. He just cooks people.”
Medlock averaged 24.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds last season for Flint Northern, leading the program to its best record in over a decade. His performance in the state tournament—where he dropped 31 points against a top-10 team in the quarterfinals—cemented his status as one of the most dangerous lead guards in the Midwest.
Still, his recruitment was slow. Without national exposure or a circuit team that traveled to big-name events, Medlock relied on word of mouth and tape. That’s finally paying off.
“I’ve coached a lot of kids who got ranked before they were ready,” said Coach James Franklin, Medlock’s high school coach. “Carlos never cared about that stuff. He just wanted to hoop. And now, the right people are starting to notice.”
That includes Tom Izzo, who has long built his program on underappreciated players who outwork the hype. Sources close to the program say Izzo sees shades of former Spartan greats like Mateen Cleaves and Kalin Lucas in Medlock’s game—tough, physical, and built for Big Ten basketball.
Medlock hasn’t made a decision yet, but the offer from Michigan State is his first from a high-major program. Others—like Iowa, Cincinnati, and Missouri—have recently reached out.
“I’m just staying focused,” Medlock said in a brief statement. “The goal is to get better every day. Everything else will come.”
For now, the secret is out.
Carlos Medlock Jr. is no longer flying under the radar. He’s landing offers—and letting his game do all the talking.
