The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

HERALDED for his leadership since he joined the Michigan State Spartans in East Lansing, Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn was recognised for those attributes when the team hosted its 2015 awards banquet.

Eight Spartans players were recognised, including the Bahamian freshman guard who walked away with three awards.

He collected the Stephen G Scofes Inspirational Player Award, shared the Antonio Smith Glue and Guts Award with Denzel Valentine and shared the John E Benington Best Defensive Player Award with Brandon Dawson.

Leadership

His leadership skills on and off the floor were some of the traits that led iconic coach Tom Izzo to believe that Nairn would have an immediate impact on the Spartans as a freshman.

“He’s given us just what I thought he’d give us. He has incredible leadership. He’s brought some toughness. When Draymond Green leaves here and says, ‘if there’s ever a freshman that should be a captain, it’s him’, that’s about as good a compliment as you can get,” Izzo said.

“I think it was just a compliment to say this kid, he gets along with everybody. I mean, when you see him, he’s probably going to introduce himself, look you in the eye. That’s almost illegal now. It’s hard to look someone in the eye while you’re tweeting, that’s hard to do. But he’s going to do that.”

It been an inconsistent season for Nairn and the Spartans, but the freshman guard found a spot in the starting lineup late in the season and it helped spark his team to win four of its last five games as the regular season wound down.

“He brings the ability to bring the ball, give people shots. He’s very good defensively, even though small in stature,” Izzo said, “He does his job. He guards, he runs our break and he gets the ball to shooters. And if nothing else is there and the shot clock runs down he steps up and hits a three. That’s kind of how his role has been.”

Nairn proved to play tenacious defence, especially once he moved into the starting lineup, most notably in a win against then no. 23 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta noted Nairn’s defensive effort on Wooden Award candidate D’Angelo Russell.

“Obviously, he’s a very quick point guard. I think from the standpoint of what he did, he did a great job running. I thought the physicality with D’Angelo (Russell) got him a little bit,” Matta said.

For the regular season, Nairn is averaged 2.2 points, 2.6 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game.