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Saint Louis Billikens in the Mix for Michigan State Transfer Javon Bess

By Patrick Karraker

Jan 10, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Javon Bess (2) defends Penn State Nittany Lions guard Isaiah Washington (21) during the second half at Bryce Jordan Center. Michigan State defeated Penn State 92-65. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Jan 10, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Javon Bess (2) defends Penn State Nittany Lions guard Isaiah Washington (21) during the second half at Bryce Jordan Center. Michigan State defeated Penn State 92-65. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O /
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Michigan State transfer Javon Bess has narrowed the options for his new destination to SLU and Akron.

New Saint Louis Billikens basketball coach Travis Ford has already been able to get plenty accomplished this offseason, adding Baton Rouge, Louisiana recruit Jalen Johnson, Central Florida transfer Adonys Henriquez, and Rutgers transfer D.J. Foreman since coming on in late March. If everything falls into place correctly, Ford may be bringing another big fish into the SLU basketball program. Via CBS Sports’s Jon Rothstein:

Bess, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward, will have to sit out the 2016-17 season, but he’ll have two seasons of eligibility remaining when he re-emerges in 2017-18. If Bess indeed decides to sign with SLU, Ford will need to rely on a much smaller rotation of players during 2016-17 than Crews used over the past couple years, as the transfers (Henriquez, Foreman, and Bess) would take up five of the 13 available scholarships. The addition would also cast Ford into an awkward situation, as he’d need to pull a scholarship from one of his inherited players to accommodate the three transfers, Johnson, and St. Louis high school recruit Zeke Moore, who was signed by Crews last November.

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Bess announced plans to transfer in late March. He played in 31 of the Spartans’ 35 games during 2015-16, averaging 11.4 minutes, 3.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. His stats were similarly underwhelming as a freshman, when he played an identical 11.4 minutes per game with 2.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

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