Former Michigan State frontcourt mates Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper are set to meet as opponents in NBA Summer League opening week, a small twist that should make for one of the more interesting early July matchups for Spartan fans.
According to ESPN, Kohler and the Utah Jazz will play Cooper and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, July 6, at 9 p.m. ET on Day 4 of Summer League. It’s one of the first chances to see the two big men share a floor while wearing different jerseys, with the only earlier exception coming at the Portsmouth Invitational.
That familiarity could matter. Kohler is a power forward and Cooper is a center, and both know each other’s game well from their years together at Michigan State.
If the coaches decide to let that familiarity shape some of the matchups, don’t expect either one to treat it like a friendly workout. They’re close, but they compete hard.
The pairing also brings together two players whose college paths looked very different before they ended up as key pieces of Michigan State’s frontcourt. Cooper arrived as an unranked IMG B-teamer and developed into one of the Big Ten’s best post defenders and pick-and-roll lob threats. Kohler came in with more hype as a highly regarded Utah big, then dealt with a buried role as a freshman and an injury that cost him much of his sophomore season before he surged back with a breakout junior year and a career year as a senior.
There’s a lot riding on Kohler’s Summer League stretch, too. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Jazz, which leaves him eligible for a two-way deal after the event, but he’s competing with more than a dozen players for that kind of opportunity. A strong run in Utah, especially one that looks something like a double-double average, could put him in position to land that next step.
The setting may help. Kohler will be playing most of his Summer League games in his home state of Utah, since Salt Lake City is one of the hosting cities over the next few weeks.
Cooper and Kohler both have NBA hopes in front of them, but the bigger immediate pressure seems to sit with Kohler. Still, the expectation here is that both players could end up in the G-League to begin the 2026-27 NBA season.
What makes this matchup worth circling is how clearly it reflects Tom Izzo’s track record. Michigan State fans have seen plenty of examples of players taking major jumps under Izzo - Kenny Goins, Adreian Payne, Xavier Tillman, Denzel Valentine, Travis Trice, and others - and Cooper and Kohler now belong in that conversation.
Cooper became one of the most improved players in the country from his freshman year to his senior season. Kohler, after battling back from injury and shaking off rust, finished with the kind of senior-year production that made him an All-Big Ten-caliber big man.
So when the Jazz and Grizzlies tip off on July 6, it’s more than just a Summer League game. It’s a look at how far two former Spartans have come, and a reminder of how much Michigan State’s frontcourt development has meant to both of their careers.
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