BTN Special on Derrick Nix to air Sunday at 8PM ET

Michigan State's 

Derrick Nix focus of 

Big Ten Network 

documentary

Freep.com

Derrick Nix misplayed a ball-screen late in 

Michigan State's game against Michigan last 

week that cost his team a couple of points. 

After making the mistake, Nix immediately 

turned to coach Tom Izzo to motion: "My 

bad."

Taking responsibility at such a crucial 

moment in a rivalry game isn't something 

the junior center would have done a year 

ago.

"He's come a long way," Izzo said.

This week, the production crew behind the 

Big Ten Network's weekly documentary 

"The Journey" spent time with Nix in East 

Lansing to do a piece on his 

transformation. Last season, Nix was 

almost dismissed from the team. He 

couldn't control his weight, and he wasn't 

putting in the work Izzo and the staff 

demanded.

Nix returned some 30 pounds lighter this 

season. The weight loss, combined with the 

stellar footwork and Nix's extraordinary 

understanding of the game, have turned 

the 6-foot-9, 270-pound center into a 

budding playmaker.

"I love to pass," Nix said. "It's more fun than 

scoring."

When Nix gets the ball down low, he 

immediately scans the floor to determine w

ho is in the best position to shoot, or to 

make a swing pass to get an even better 

shot. Though his assist stats don't show it (

he averages 1.1), it is his ability to draw 

the defense down and kick it back out that 

has enabled MSU to become the best 

perimeter shooting team in the Big Ten.

Nix's scoring (8.2) and rebounding (4.2) 

are up from a year ago, too, when he 

averaged 2.7 and 2.0, respectively. The 

next challenge will be to increase his 

endurance -- and his minutes.

Nix talked about all of this for the 

documentary this week.

"We talked about my journey from my 

freshman year up until now," he said, and 

what "steps did I take (and the) adversity I 

faced."

The program airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on the 

Big Ten Network.

By Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or 

swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him on 

Twitter @freepspartans.