BYU’s search for help in the frontcourt may be coming into focus, and the biggest swing could come from a ruling far beyond Provo.
The most intriguing name in the mix is Jaxon Kohler, the former Michigan State big man who has emerged as a possible late-summer addition if the legal fight over graduated seniors breaks BYU’s way. Kohler, an American Fork, Utah native and LDS, was one of the better bigs in the Big Ten last season after spending four years at Michigan State.
He started 69 games over his final two seasons for Tom Izzo, evolving from a back-to-the-basket post player into a stretch big. As a senior, he averaged 12.5 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 39% from three and 87% from the free-throw line.
He went 58-for-139 from deep after not attempting a three in his first two seasons.
That skill set is exactly why BYU has interest. Kohler has the footwork to score inside, the range to space the floor, and the rebounding to hold his own. At 6-foot-9, he played the four at times in Michigan State’s bigger lineups, but he projects better as a five for a team like BYU.
A source familiar with the situation said Kohler and his agent are in contact with BYU and are scheduled for a follow-up meeting this weekend about the possibility of him joining the Cougars. Kohler has also spent time on BYU’s campus this summer, working out and playing pickup with the team.
The catch is the legal uncertainty surrounding his eligibility. Last month, the NCAA passed the five-in-five rule, which gives athletes five years of eligibility and removes redshirts, but it did not grandfather in graduated seniors.
That has already triggered legal challenges. An Ohio judge last week granted an injunction for 24 men’s and women’s basketball players, allowing them to play next season and enter the transfer portal if they choose.
The NCAA responded by saying, “The court’s decision today is wrong, and we will immediately seek all avenues for reversal.”
Kohler was then named Friday in a California filing seeking the same outcome as the Ohio case. He could return to Michigan State or land elsewhere if he is allowed to play, but the Spartans are already full and have multiple big men on the roster. Any move back would force late decisions on roster spots and NIL, along with the possibility that the NCAA ultimately rules graduated seniors do not count against roster limits.
Kohler is currently with the Utah Jazz Summer League team, and the broader situation remains unsettled. Even if the California injunction is granted, that may not be the final word.
The NCAA is fighting the issue hard, and any ruling could still be reversed. At the same time, the association could decide the legal battle is too costly and simply give graduated players a fifth year.
Until that happens, schools like BYU have to weigh whether it is worth taking the risk on a player who might be eligible now but could be ruled ineligible again later.
If BYU lands Kohler, it would be a major pickup. He would give the Cougars one of the best offensive big men in the Big 12, a player who can score on the block, stretch the floor and rebound at a high level.
And if the legal chips fall the right way, BYU may not be limited to Kohler. Other fifth-year players would also be in play, giving the Cougars a chance to add a starting-caliber center late in the summer while most Power Conference teams have already settled their frontcourt.
Another name to watch is David Okwera, the Australian forward-center BYU has been pursuing for months. Okwera, who is 6-foot-10, has spent the last five seasons in Australia’s National Basketball League and fits the kind of big Kevin Young has been chasing: skilled, mobile and comfortable making plays in the pick-and-roll.
One scout described him this way: “Okwera has a guard-like game in a forward/center body. He can play in the Big 12/SEC.”
Okwera runs the floor well, finishes around the rim, can put the ball on the deck and has three-point range. This past season with the Perth Wildcats, he came off the bench and averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 11.6 minutes, shooting 59% from the field and 10-for-28 from three in 36 games.
An Australian source familiar with the situation said Okwera has been cleared by the NCAA to play. If that is accurate, BYU could announce his signing at any time.
There are still a couple of possible reasons for the delay: Okwera is playing in Australia’s NBL1 league, so he may be waiting to finish that season before making anything official, and BYU may also be waiting to see how the fifth-year player situation plays out. BYU has long been considered the front-runner for Okwera.
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