Answering Burning Starting Center Question for Michigan State
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The biggest question mark surrounding Michigan State basketball heading into next season is the center position, and it is significant.
The Spartans have not made a move through the transfer portal this offseason. While the lack of activity may raise eyebrows, there is a positive dimension to it as well. Michigan State has not lost anyone to the portal either, which speaks to the program culture Tom Izzo has maintained in East Lansing, even as NIL has reshaped the landscape of college athletics.
The more pressing issue is what the program has lost to graduation. Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper were both key contributors last season, and neither will be back. Kohler developed into a reliable stretch four, averaging a career-high 12.5 points per game while shooting 39 percent from three. Cooper had a career year of his own, averaging 11 points per game as a dependable lob threat and defensive presence in the paint. Replacing that production will not be simple.
With the portal window closed, the frontcourt responsibility falls to two players with limited collegiate experience: redshirt freshman Jesse McCulloch and incoming freshman Ethan Taylor.
Jesse McCulloch
McCulloch enters his second year with the program, having spent last season working his way into the rotation after redshirting as a freshman.
He appeared in 28 games and averaged around seven minutes per game, using that time to show flashes of what he could become. His best performance of the season came against Toledo, where he finished with seven points on 3-for-3 shooting, including a three-pointer, and added three blocks. It was the kind of game that hinted at real two-way potential for a player still early in his development.
The inconsistencies that come with inexperience were also evident throughout the season. There were moments where McCulloch lost focus defensively and stretches where his offensive contributions were minimal. Those are correctable issues for a young player, and the fact that Izzo kept him in the rotation and did not pursue a portal replacement at the position suggests real confidence in what McCulloch can become with a strong offseason.
Ethan Taylor
Taylor arrives in East Lansing as one of the top centers in the 2026 high school class. Out of Link Academy, he finished his senior year ranked 29th overall in the class, fifth among centers nationally, and second among all prospects in the state of Missouri.
At 7-foot-1, Taylor brings the kind of size and shot-blocking instincts that are difficult to teach. He can run the floor, which fits well in an up-tempo system, and has the foundational post skills to contribute as a freshman. The tools are clearly there.
The areas that need development are equally clear. Taylor will need to add functional strength to consistently hold his own against experienced college big men. His conditioning will need to keep pace with the demands of Big Ten play, and he will need to develop a more physical and proactive presence in the paint to reach the ceiling his physical profile suggests.
Those are typical developmental notes for a freshman big man, but they are worth monitoring closely given how much Michigan State needs him to contribute right away.
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Luke Joseph is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in journalism. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of sports and commitment to storytelling, he serves as a general sports reporter On SI, covering the NFL and college athletics with insight and expertise.