When Tom Izzo announced that he'd be a Spartan for life, he boasted that he would use the opportunity to potentially coach LeBron James as leverage with top recruits -- as if he really needed it. Well, he has reportedly landed his top target in the 2011 class, according to the Detroit News: 

Branden Dawson, a small forward from Gary, Ind., has given a verbal commitment to Michigan State basketball, according to rivals.com. The site ranks Dawson (6 foot 6, 200 pounds) as a five-star recruit in the 2011 class.

SB Nation's Michigan State blog, The Only Colors, has already weighed in on the news (and have plenty more on Dawson): 

Dawson will be MSU's first player from Indiana since Chris Hill, and the most highly-regarded player to commit to MSU since Delvon Roe, and perhaps Shannon Brown. This. Is. A. Big. Deal.

And the strong get stronger.