Barry Sander’s son is now on the roster of a college basketball powerhouse.
Hall of Fame running back Nicholas Sanders joins the Michigan State men’s basketball team as a rookie.
The Spartans’ 2022-23 roster, which was released Friday, shows Nicholas, a guard, will wear No. 20 – the same one his father wore during his storied career with the Detroit Lions.
Nicholas, listed as 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, did not wear his father’s number while attending Detroit Country Day School. He instead opted for No. 23, one of Michael Jordan’s numbers during his NBA Hall of Fame career.
As Nicholas considered his college options, Barry Sanders made an appearance this summer at a Spartans basketball practice, where he spoke with the team.
Nicholas is not the first Sanders son to play for a major college program. Sanders’ oldest son, Barry J. Sanders, played college football for Stanford (2012-15) and Oklahoma State (2016), his father’s alma mater.
