BYU landed a major late piece for its frontcourt when Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler announced his commitment to the Cougars.
Kohler is eligible to play this season after the state of California lawsuit he was part of received a temporary injunction that allows fifth-year graduated players college eligibility. The NCAA may appeal the ruling.
The American Fork, Utah native brings a resume that stands out immediately. He spent all four seasons at Michigan State, where he developed from a bench player in his first two years into a starter in 69 games over his last two seasons for Tom Izzo. Kohler also made a clear shift in style along the way, moving from a back-to-the-basket big early in his career to more of a stretch big by last season.
As a senior, Kohler averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 39% from three and 87% from the free-throw line. He went 0-for-5 from deep across his first two seasons, then knocked down 58 of 139 triples as a senior.
For players listed at 6-foot-10 or taller, he was tied for sixth in college basketball last season in threes made, according to CBBAnalystics. Michigan State listed him at 6-foot-10, and he mostly played the four in the Spartans’ big lineup, though he is expected to spend most of his time at the five for BYU.
His production wasn’t empty, either. Kohler had 12 double-doubles last season and ranked top five in the Big Ten in both offensive and defensive rebound percentage.
One of his best showings came against Michigan, where he scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds on 10-for-13 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 from three. He led Michigan State in both points and rebounds in that game against the Wolverines’ front line.
If Kohler had entered the transfer portal in April, he would have been a top-10 transfer in this cycle, and the most impactful big man BYU realistically could have landed at the time. Instead, the Cougars got him late, and the fit is obvious.
BYU now goes from fringe top-25 territory to Big 12 title contention, at least on paper. Kohler’s offense is the big selling point, and the source view here is clear: he is the best offensive big man in the Big 12 and one of the league’s three best bigs, alongside Arizona’s Mo Krivas and Houston’s Jo Tugler.
There are still questions on the defensive end. Kohler is not a shot blocker, though he does bring effort and strong rebounding.
But offensively, he should help push BYU toward one of the nation’s best attacks. No big man who is elite on both ends stays in college more than one year, and Kohler arrives as a fifth-year senior who should rank among the top bigs in the sport.
The spacing around him in Provo should be a major upgrade from what he had at Michigan State. BYU’s roster includes Rob Wright, Collin Chandler, Bruch Branch, Jake Wahlin, Tyler Betsey, and others, giving Kohler room he’s never really had before in college.
That opens up plenty of possibilities: he can work on the block one-on-one, or force the opposing big away from the rim with his shooting. If BYU wants to play bigger, Kohler and Jakub Urbaniak can share the floor since both can hit threes and Urbaniak can defend multiple positions.
It’s the kind of addition that can change the ceiling of a team. BYU still has one roster spot left to fill, but Kohler gives Kevin Young’s group a proven, high-level frontcourt piece and a real chance to make this the program’s best team in Young’s three seasons.
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For BYU, the appeal is not just finding a body for the spot, but identifying someone who can help replace the production and versatility left behind by Jack Kelly. Kauhaahaas comments suggest Taumoepeau has positioned himself as one of the more compelling candidates in that search, but the staff is still sorting through the group before making any firm decisions. In a battle like this, promise can get a player in the conversation, but consistency will decide who ends up owning the role. [Read more 🡒]