UPDATE: LANSING - It was no surprise to Lansing Sexton head coach and former Michigan State basketball player Carlton Valentine when his son Denzel signed to play for the Spartans next season.

"The second he got the call from Coach Izzo, I think he was ready to jump across the table right there! I told him no, you can't just think about MSU. You want to see a little bit of everything and then make an informed decision on what you want to do."

Denzel doesn't argue with that and has plenty of good reasons for choosing to play for the Spartans.

"Well first off, they've just got a great coaching staff. Second of all, you know my dad played there. It's a family tradition, and I grew up around Michigan State. It just feels like the right decision."

Despite his success at Sexton and in AAU basketball leagues, Denzel knows the transition to Big Ten basketball will be a big one.

"I'm trying to work on my body the most to get physically ready," he says, "to make sure I'm ready to get in there and play tough, Big Ten basketball."

While he may need to get used to the bigger stage, however, Denzel will be no stranger to MSU's Breslin Center court, as it's the same floor he's competed on for the past two state championships.


ORIGINAL STORY: LANSING - Lansing Sexton High School basketball star Denzel Valentine recently signed a letter of intent to play for Michigan State University next season. He's following the footsteps of his father, a former Spartan standout.