Freshman Jaxon Kohler draws praise from Tom Izzo following Spartans' season-opener
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Michigan State men's basketball is expected to sign a Top 3 recruiting class on Wednesday when five-star Xavier Booker joins four-stars Jeremy Fears, Coen Carr and Gehrig Normand put pen to paper on their national letters of intent.
However, Spartan fans won't have to wait for that quartet to arrive next winter to see appreciate the young talent the resides within their basketball program.
On Monday night, Michigan State opened its 2022-23 season with a 73-55 victory over Northern Arizona. One of the first players off the bench for the Spartans in the win was highly-touted freshman power forward Jaxon Kohler.
Kohler, a former four-star prospect who was ranked No. 59 overall in the country for the 2022 class, acquitted himself well in his first collegiate game, finishing with six points, nine rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 16 minutes of action.
“Jaxon was one of the bright spots of the night," head coach Tom Izzo said following the game. “I love the kid. For one thing, he had nine rebounds – I love that about him."
Rebounding is always an emphasis of any Tom Izzo-coached team, and the Spartans will have to put added effort into that aspect of the game given their limited size and depth in the frontcourt.
However, Kohler's performance in the post is an encouraging one in that regard. The 6-foot-9, 240-pounder is arguably the biggest guy on Michigan State's roster — his measurables are similar to those of junior center Mady Sissoko.
Northern Arizona certainly game-planned for Kohler's size, often throwing double or even triple teams at the freshman when he caught the ball in the post.
Kohler shot 3-of-5 from the field, and went 0-for-1 from beyond the three-point line. Izzo doesn't mind seeing his big man try his luck from deep, saying Kohler is a capable three-point shooter. However, MSU's head coach would like his freshman to share the basketball a little more as the season progresses.
“When he came here, it was every time he got the ball he shot it," Izzo said. "So, I think tonight I’ll call Z-Bo [Zach Randolph] tonight and have him call Jaxon and tell him, ‘Ya know, you’ve got to pass the ball once in a while.'
"He had a couple times when he was triple-teamed and guys were wide open, and that’s what’s frustrates players. But, he’s a freshman. For a freshman…he was a great impact for us."
Following one such occasion in which Kohler forced up a shot amidst several defenders, Izzo took a timeout and turned it into a "coaching moment" for his young big man.
“I thought he did a hell of a job, it’s just that I wanted to tell him we’re not reverting back to the way that it was in the summer," Izzo said. "He’s come a long ways and he’s really a very good passer too. He can shoot a three, so I don’t mind that. I just think that we’ve got to get [the ball in the paint and kick] it out more.”
Kohler wasn't the only true freshman who got his feet wet for Michigan State on Monday night.
Point guard Tre Holloman played 11 minutes for the Spartans, finishing with four points, two rebounds, an assist, two steals and a blocked shot. Center Carson Cooper played four minutes, and scored his first collegiate point from the free throw line.
Holloman was a four-star prospect and ranked No. 79 overall in the 2022 class. Michigan State has a lot of depth in its backcourt with A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins and Pierre Brooks, but Holloman is going to get his opportunities on a nightly basis to impact this team.
“Tre Holloman played pretty well for the minutes he played," Izzo said.
Cooper, meanwhile, was once thought to be a candidate for a redshirt season in East Lansing. However, given the Spartans' lack of depth in the frontcourt, the true freshman may find himself pressed into duty at center behind Sissoko and Kohler.
Michigan State is expected to add a lot of top-end talent to its future roster on National Signing Day this Wednesday, but the youngsters already getting their first taste of college basketball are worth getting excited about.
