'He earned this': Michigan State basketball walk-on Jack Hoiberg lands scholarship

While Michigan State could find itself in a jam with scholarships heading into the 2021-22 season, there are no such concerns heading into this season.

With an open scholarship created by Xavier Tillman’s early departure to the NBA, walk-on guard Jack Hoiberg has been granted a scholarship for the 2020-21 season.

“This was not given, he earned this,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said in a statement. “He has been unbelievable since he came here. Jack didn’t just have this given to him. He has worked so hard and he deserves it.”

Hoiberg is the son of Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg and has appeared in 28 games, averaging 1.0 points and 0.5 assists. He earned a start last season when Michigan State played at Nebraska, the first time Hoiberg had played in a game his father coached.

 “I knew with Xavier leaving, there was a spot open, but you never really know if there’s a chance or maybe what the coaches were thinking,” Hoiberg said. “I had spoken to Coach about it in the past, but again, you never really know. It was really cool when he told me.”

More:Here's a look at Michigan State basketball's projected 2020-21 lineup

Hoiberg played in 14 games last season as a redshirt sophomore and scored four points while handing out two assists in his start at Nebraska. He played a career-high 13 minutes in a win over Western Michigan, scoring four points and handing out six assists.

“Coach told me afterward that I earned it and to hear that means the world to me,” Hoiberg said. “It’s something I set as a goal when I came here. I’ve worked my tail off and to finally earn it makes it all worth it, the hard work and everything.”