Back for sixth season, Branndais Agee ready to chase dreams with Michigan State women’s basketball

EAST LANSING - Branndais Agee has been through a lot.

The Detroit native has had her ups and downs in a college career that at times has been slowed by injuries.

Agee has been sidelined twice by ACL injuries that have wiped out essentially two whole seasons. And she’s also had a pin put in her foot and dealt with another foot issue prior to the start of last season.

Those ailments are all in the past, Agee hoped Monday as she knocked on the wood table where she was seated during Michigan State women's basketball's media day.

And Agee is ready to make the most of her sixth season with MSU and chase her dreams of playing pro basketball.

“I’m very thankful and blessed that coach Suzy (Merchant) allowed me to come back for a sixth year,” Agee said. “I know it’s a long time, but I love Spartan nation. (Merchant) saw that I had more to give. I’m very glad I’m still here.”

Agee, who was voted preseason All-Big Ten by conference coaches, is the leading returning scorer for MSU after mounting a strong second half last year. 

And with the first healthy offseason that she can remember during her college career behind her, Agee is ready to build off last year's success.

“(That healthy offseason) helps a lot, especially with my skill sets and working on those and giving me more time to work harder and to learn,” said Agee, who averaged 10 points and 6.6 rebounds last season. “It just gives me another year just to sit back and evaluate next year and what it takes to be a WNBA player.”

Agee has seen two teammates get drafted in the WNBA the past couple years in Aerial Powers and Tori Jankoska. She arrived on campus with Powers as part of MSU's 2012 recruiting class. And Agee played AAU basketball with Jankoska during her high school days.

Agee has had similar dreams, although injuries in recent years had put some doubts in her mind.

“When I came here, I had all my ups and downs with the injuries and I wasn’t sure if that was a possibility for me to play afterwards," Agee said. "But seeing the years and how I have grown, it got really stronger for me to play after (college).”

Merchant knows about Agee’s basketball dreams. And that’s why she thought it was important for Agee to return for another season. She saw it as a plus for the Spartans and Agee in achieving their goals.

And Agree realized that in the middle stages of last season.

“The kid has a dream to play in the WNBA and be drafted,” Merchant said. “I think as good as she is, when you look at our program we had Aerial first and now Tori. Tori was kind of behind Aerial and now that Tori is graduated, I think it’s just kind of a hierarchy a little bit. I think (Branndais is) ready to put her stamp on the program and to prove herself on a national level as well.”

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.