What MSU's Kohler, Cooper Must Do to Impress New NBA Franchises

Two Spartans have signed deals with NBA teams after going undrafted.

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler, right, celebrates with teammates Carson Cooper, center, and Gehrig Normand, left, after a MSU score and Nebraska timeout during the second half on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of Michigan State's outgoing players have found new teams in the NBA.

Both Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper went undrafted during the 2026 NBA Draft after their respective four-year careers at MSU. However, Cooper quickly signed a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Kohler is headed to the Utah Jazz on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Path Ahead for Cooper

Michigan State's Carson Cooper walks to the bench after a timeout against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Cooper scoring a two-way deal is a big win for him. That indicates that the Grizzlies think there is at least a semi-realistic chance that Cooper can be ready for NBA action this coming season. Signing a two-way deal gives Memphis the flexibility to place Cooper with its G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, while also being able to call Cooper up to the NBA roster when needed.

If Cooper plays well enough while up in the bigs, Memphis can potentially convert Cooper's contract into a standard deal. Two-way contracts are fairly standard in the NBA for young players; most second-round picks start their professional careers that way. Getting that type of deal as an undrafted free agent is a big sign of confidence.

Michigan State's Carson Cooper looks to pass the ball during a game against Maryland at the Breslin Center on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Cooper's story from his time at Michigan State is nothing short of remarkable. MSU was the only high-major team to offer Cooper, who was playing on the B team at IMG Academy when Tom Izzo and Doug Wojcik discovered him.

One big reason that the Grizzlies seem more willing to place a bigger bet on Cooper is that there definitely seems to be another level to his game he hasn't reached yet. Izzo publicly said he wishes he had redshirted Cooper as a freshman multiple times last season.

(L to R) Michigan State basketball player Carson Cooper talks with the media during a press conference at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The Spartans play the University of Connecticut on Friday evening in the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The most obvious sign of it is Cooper's three-point shooting. That was something he worked at a fair bit last offseason, but he never seemed to get the green light to show it off much during his senior year at Michigan State. Cooper did still hit a pair of triples, one of which was against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

If and when Cooper's perimeter shot clicks, he'd almost certainly have the skillset to become an NBA big man. Cooper already has a good mid-range game and moves well enough laterally that he could guard multiple positions, if need be. He's also a good rebounder and solid rim protector. The NBA is also looking for younger college prospects, but Cooper still has plenty of time as somebody whose 22nd birthday was in April.

Path Ahead for Kohler

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler looks on during a game against North Dakota State during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Kohler has a tougher road ahead. An Exhibit 10 contract only lasts one season and pays the NBA minimum. More importantly, it guarantees nothing, and those on Exhibit 10s can be cut pretty easily.

Exhibit 10 contracts can be converted into two-way deals, though. Each team can have up to three players on two-way deals at a time. Getting an Exhibit 10 is essentially an invitation to try out for the team and to get an attempt at getting an upgraded contract.

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler looks on during a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal against UCLA at the United Center on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

The big concern for Kohler's NBA stock is whether he can keep up with the faster pace of play and the 24-second shot clock. He played slightly more minutes than Cooper this past season, but NBA teams are probably looking for players who can be effective in shorter spurts when it comes to UDFA signings.

Cooper has a bit more athletic ability than Kohler. He was a better lob threat and a bit more switchable on defense. If Kohler were a more explosive athlete, he probably would've been drafted. His foot injury from early on in his college career may be to blame, but a 6'9" power forward who dunks a couple of times a season will struggle to get serious NBA attention.

Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler yells after being introduced as a starter before a game against Northwestern at the Breslin Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Kohler still has important things on his side. He was still a near-40% three-point shooter on some real volume as a senior. That would be impressive if Kohler were a guard. It's likely one of the reasons why Kohler's hometown team in Utah gave him a shot, and it's the type of thing that could give Kohler more than one opportunity in the NBA.

Intelligence is one of the other things that Kohler has going for him. He wasn't the biggest or most athletic player on the court, but he still was one of the best rebounders in Division I hoops last season. He was first in the Big Ten in total rebound percentage (20.3%) during his junior season, and he finished second (19.1%) as a senior. Kohler consistently knows where to be on the court, which is also how he found a lot of open threes.