Michigan State's Branden Dawson changed his approach after injury, and it's working

Michigan State's Branden Dawson changed his approach after injury, and it's working | Detroit Free Press | freep.com:
SPOKANE, WASH. — It’s a little early for nostalgia, what with an NCAA tournament to play and likely another year ahead at Michigan State, but Branden Dawson took a moment Sunday evening to indulge his sentimental side.

He posted a picture of himself and Tom Izzo from earlier that day, hands clasped and sharing a moment on the stage at midcourt after a 69-55 win over Michigan to win the Big Ten tournament — and after Dawson was named most outstanding player of the tournament.

Here is what Dawson wrote to go with the picture: “Me and one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever played for. This man has pushed me through so much and not only is he a great coach but he’s a Leader, A Father figure, Motivator, Teacher, and a Mentor. He believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I remember when I was ready to transfer after my freshman year but he was not going to let that happen. Thankful to have a great coach like Coach.”

It has been a three-year transformation for Dawson, accelerated during the junior forward’s nine-game absence with a broken right hand, then put on display for all to see during his beastly run through the conference tournament. His difference-making play is a primary reason East Regional No. 4 seed MSU (26-8) is a tournament favorite entering today’s opener against No. 13 seed Delaware (25-9).

And it made him think back to that freshman season and all those nights in MSU’s Wonders Hall with fellow freshmen Travis Trice and Brandan Kearney. They all talked about transferring, Dawson said Wednesday in Spokane, and Kearney ended up bolting to Arizona State midway through the following season.

It was “something every freshmen goes through,” Dawson said, and he didn’t get as far as contacting other schools. But the year was “a lot of frustration,” he said, compounded when he tore the anterior-cruciate ligament in his left knee in the regular-season finale.

“I just felt like I should have been getting more (playing time),” Dawson said, “even though I was starting. ... We weren’t used to coach (Izzo) and how he coaches, and how he was just always on edge all the time. We weren’t used to that coming out of high school and it was just a huge adjustment.”