High-Flyer Coen Carr Reveals Favorite Dunk of MSU Career

The best dunker in college basketball talked about, well, his dunking.

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) dunks against UCLA forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) during the second half of Big Ten tournament quarterfinal at United Center in Chicago on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EAST LANSING, Mich. --- There probably isn't a college basketball player with a more entertaining highlight tape than Coen Carr.

Tom Izzo has joked that his dunks feel like they are worth six points with the momentum that they bring. When they happen at the Breslin Center, it's oftentimes the loudest crowd pop of the game. When it's on the road, it's as effective a crowd silencer as any.

Michigan State's Coen Carr shoots a free throw during a game against Rutgers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Carr said his favorite dunk from his career to this point was one he had against Alcorn State during his freshman year.

"I lowkey remember not seeing the rim, and I just threw it in," Carr said on Monday about the dunk. "I didn't even think I made it. I only knew I made it 'cause everybody started screaming. I thought I missed. I thought I did something just... trash, like I threw the ball over the goal or something. I thought it looked crazy, but it went in."

FINAL: Alcorn State 49, No. 18 MSU 81

Michigan State took care of business and Coen Carr did this.

My favorite part of this dunk is looking at the facial reactions of everyone in the background. pic.twitter.com/nCvoiqZCoe

— Tyler Driesenga (@tdriesenga3) November 20, 2023

More From Coen Carr:

Carr's Dunking Journey

It's pretty easy to imagine Carr being able to dunk at a pretty young age. He says his first-ever dunk happened when he was 14, estimating that he was about six feet tall at the time.

"I wasn't crazy," Carr said. "I wasn't dunking when I was 11 or 12 or something like that... It was with my middle school team. It was right after the middle school season. We were just having some up and downs, having some runs like that in the summer... It was just an open run."

Michigan State's Coen Carr looks on during a game against Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The first in-game dunk didn't happen too much later, with Carr saying it happened during his freshman season in high school. Carr's number of in-game dunks has only risen and risen and risen after that. He does it so much that it has almost desensitized everybody to how athletic he is. The lob from Fears from 30 feet away to Carr at the rim almost feels routine at times.

It seeps into practice, too. Sometimes, Carr does a dunk that makes you think he's about to tear the entire rim down. Usually, there's a loud "HEYYY" from some of his teammates, but it's usually back to business about five seconds later.

Michigan State's Coen Carr locks in on his defensive assignment during a game against Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

"There's not really too much I could do to surprise my teammates and coaches anymore," Carr said. "Especially [Carson Cooper] and [Jeremy] Fears and all those that've been there with me."

You have to remind yourself how rare a player as physically gifted as Carr is. There is a good chance a dunker like him never ends up putting on a Michigan State uniform for some time.

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) celebrates after dunks against Rutgers during the second half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Thursday, March 5, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images