What Getting Jaxon Kohler Back Could Mean for Michigan State
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There is a chance that Jaxon Kohler's college career may not be over.
Michigan State's (former?) starting forward is listed on an injunction in California seeking a fifth season of eligibility from the NCAA. My current gauge on the situation is that the odds of Kohler spending next season in East Lansing are definitely below 50% and probably below 25%, but it's enough of a possibility worth discussing.
How Kohler Could Fit Again
One of the interesting things about this situation is that MSU and Tom Izzo have been operating like Kohler would absolutely be gone. Izzo brought in four new freshmen and one new transfer. Three of those new faces were at least partially intended to replace the production lost from Kohler and Carson Cooper. The Spartans took in Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke from the portal at center, and got center Ethan Taylor and small forward/power forward Julius Avent from the high school ranks.
Still, there is some uncertainty about Michigan State's frontcourt. None of MSU's pieces at center have truly proven themselves at the high-major level. Bonke spent a season at Providence in 2024-25 that didn't yield much, appearing in only 16 games with 6.6 minutes per appearance. Taylor is a high 4-star recruit but is on the raw side and will likely need a year of development before truly eyeing a real starting role. Jesse McCulloch was out of the regular playing group this past March.
Kohler's potential return would solve that. He averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season, ranking second and first on the team, respectively. Given how much Kohler improved during his junior and senior seasons at MSU, one can only wonder how he'd look with a fifth season in the green and white.
It would also make the amount of returning production for Michigan State reach pretty insane levels for a team in the transfer portal era that is also taking in a top-five recruiting class. If Kohler were to return, the Spartans' top three scorers from last year would all be back, as well as six of the top seven. MSU is still returning 60.2% of its scoring from last year; Kohler's coming back would increase that figure to 76.1%.
Why Kohler Is Seeking Fifth Year
Kohler wouldn't have had a path towards an additional year in the past. He appeared in every single game during three of his four years at Michigan State. The other year, his sophomore season, Kohler missed time due to a foot injury, but he still made 21 appearances.
The crux of the issue is the NCAA's new "5-in-5" rule. This new age-based system basically does away with redshirts, but it also gives players the shot at playing five seasons. Had the NCAA switched to this system a year earlier, Kohler would still be eligible.
There will also be people in Kohler's high school class playing college basketball this season because they either weren't good enough to play as freshmen and redshirted or were injured.
Kohler stands to gain a ton financially from another collegiate season. He'd probably be a top-50 player in the transfer portal this offseason and fetch $2 million or more on the open market. Kohler is currently on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Utah Jazz, but it's likely he'd end up playing in the G League or overseas, where he'd make much less money than he would in college. Cooper signed a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and doesn't seem to be pursuing any more NCAA eligibility.
Even if Kohler gets that fifth season, that's why the odds of him using it at Michigan State are not 100%. Everyone has been aware of this possibility since the end of the season, and it's not even really tampering because Kohler isn't technically a member of the program anymore.
One would have to imagine Kohler is the type of player MSU would do whatever it takes to bring back, though. His return would step on the toes of a few players on the roster and make an already-crowded rotation even more crowded, but Kohler is the type of player you make room for.
Izzo's next roster already seems to be the best he's had in a little bit. The Spartans will almost certainly be ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll, whether or not Kohler is on the roster. They'll also be considered to be among the favorites to win the Big Ten, whether Kohler is here or anywhere else.
Still, this could be a chance for Michigan State's elite roster to get even better. Keep an eye on this, because it will only get more interesting if Kohler and his team (alongside many other college players) win in court.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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