Former Michigan State forward Thomas Kithier announces transfer to Valparaiso
Apr. 19—Thomas Kithier has found a new home.
The former Michigan State forward who entered the NCAA transfer portal less than a week ago announced Sunday on Twitter that he had committed to Valparaiso.
The 6-foot-8 junior has graduated and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds last season, starting 14 games.
"The biggest thing was wanting a bigger role," Kithier told the Northwest Indiana Times. "The ability to show that I can do more on the court. I felt like I could give more than I was giving at Michigan State. With Valpo, it felt like they wanted me and they needed me from the start."
Kithier is one of three former Spartans to enter the transfer portal since the end of the season, joining guards Rocket Watts and Jack Hoiberg. Watts has not made a decision where he'll play next while Hoiberg is headed to Texas-Arlington.
At Michigan State, Kithier had seen his playing time diminish late in the season as he battled for minutes with Marcus Bingham, Julius Marble and Mady Sissoko.
"My biggest strength is my versatility," Kithier told The Times. "I can score in the post and away from the post. Defensively, I can cover up for some people. I'm a great talker on the court. I'm looking to keep working on my 3-point shot. I haven't had the chance to showcase that and I want to work toward consistently hitting them."
