Jaxon Kohler spent Friday in the middle of a lot of conversation, and not just because of what he did on the floor.
Earlier in the day, news broke that Kohler was named in an injunction filed on behalf of 2022 class players who are apparently fighting for a fifth year of eligibility. That adds another layer of uncertainty to his future, but it didn’t change his schedule.
Kohler still suited up for his latest NBA Summer League game, because nothing is settled yet. Even if he does end up with a fifth year available, there’s also the possibility he passes on that route and signs a G-League contract instead.
He’s already been through the draft process, so the idea of starting over again may not be all that appealing.
There’s still a chance he returns, though maybe not to Michigan State. For now, though, Kohler was in the spotlight for a different reason: a Summer League matchup against a former Spartan teammate.
The Utah Jazz faced Frankie Fidler and the Portland Trail Blazers, and Kohler’s side came away with an 83-79 win. Kohler also had the stronger showing of the two former Spartans, giving the Jazz a useful bench lift while Fidler had a rougher night.
Kohler played 14 minutes off the bench and made them count. He finished with nine points, three rebounds and a block, going 2-for-5 from the field.
More importantly for Utah, he was part of a reserve group that helped swing the game. Every Jazz starter ended up in the negative in the +/- column, while Kohler posted a team-best +11 that trailed only one teammate.
Fidler’s night went in the opposite direction. After scoring a team-high 16 points in a win the day before, he had trouble getting anything clean against Utah.
He shot 1-for-8 from the floor, finished with five points and five rebounds, and looked like the least efficient shooter on the court. Even so, he was still +2, and one of only five Blazers to finish with a positive plus-minus.
The matchup was supposed to feature another reunion angle for Fidler, but Jase Richardson missed Sunday’s game, so that second look at a former teammate never happened.
What stands out with Fidler is how much his output swings from game to game. One night he looks like he could carve out a role for Portland by leading the team in scoring.
The next, he’s stuck at 1-for-8. That kind of inconsistency can make life difficult once teams start sorting out who deserves those two-way spots, even if the Blazers’ staff clearly likes him enough to keep starting him.
Kohler, by contrast, has been steadier. He settled into more consistency as a senior, and that has carried over into Summer League.
He’s not turning heads with a breakout run, but he is showing he can be a dependable big man around the basket. The Jazz could use that, and the case for signing him to their G-League roster is pretty straightforward.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Raised A Question Michigan State Fans Wont Ignore
Indianas recent football surge under Curt Cignetti got another jolt with a recruiting win that has people around the Big Ten paying attention. Landing a five-star wide receiver who picked the Hoosiers over blue-chip competition is the kind of move that changes how a program is viewed, especially when it comes from a school that has not often lived in that neighborhood.
For Michigan State fans, the more interesting part is the question it raises about what a fast turnaround can look like in this league. If Indiana can sell a new vision, stack results and start winning battles against the sports heavyweights, then the same path suddenly feels more plausible in East Lansing under Pat Fitzgerald, where the next step is proving the momentum can turn into a recruiting identity. [Read more 🡒]
Tre Holloman Just Stirred Up Old Feelings For Michigan State Fans
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What never materialized, though, was the reunion angle plenty of Spartans had circled. Holloman and Richardson both suited up for Orlando, but they never shared the floor together, leaving Michigan State followers to keep waiting for the kind of crossover that would have made this summer stop feel even more personal. For a fan base that still tracks Holloman closely, even a short Summer League appearance was enough to bring the old emotions back into view. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo May Not Be Done Rebuilding Michigan States Frontcourt
Michigan State has already spent plenty of energy widening its 2027 recruiting board, and the frontcourt remains a clear part of that effort. Tom Izzos staff has extended offers to several guards while also getting involved with top-50 center Jadyn Jenkins, a sign the Spartans are not just chasing perimeter help but keeping an eye on size and long-term balance as the class develops.
The center spot has come a long way for Michigan State, with recent additions helping stabilize a position that needed attention not long ago. Even with that progress, the Spartans appear willing to keep shopping for another big, and that leaves open the possibility that the next wave of frontcourt recruiting could make an already improving group even deeper. [Read more 🡒]