2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Jaxon Kohler
- Position:
- F
- Height:
- 6-9
- Weight:
- 245
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- American Fork, Utah
- High School:
- Southern California Academy
The first player from the state of Utah to play at Michigan State • Head Coach Tom Izzo has referred to him as a post player in the mold of former Spartan standout Zach Randolph • Has good hands and tremendous footwork • A multi-dimensional scorer who can score in a variety of ways from the low and high post or short-corner areas • A very good passer with a high basketball IQ •The Spartans will look at him to continue to develop as a defender.
2025-25 (Junior): Appeared in all 37 games, starting 34 times … Finished fifth on the team in scoring with 7.8 points per game, while leading the team with 7.5 rebounds per game … Ranked ninth in the Big Ten in rebounds per game … Sixth in the conference in offensive rebounds per game (2.51 per game) and 11th in defensive rebounds per game (4.95 per game) … Per KenPom.com, ranked No. 26 in the country in offensive rebound percentage (14.5 percent) and No. 27 in defensive rebound percentage (25.9 percent) … Connected on 51.9 percent of his field goals (112-of-216), including 37.3 percent of his 3-point attempts (19-of-51) … Hit 82.1 percent of his free throws (46-of-56) … Led the team with 29 blocked shots … Scored in double figures 10 times … Grabbed at least 10 rebounds 11 times and had eight double-doubles … Led MSU in scoring three times and in rebounding 18 times … Two games with at least 20 points … Scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win at Illinois (2/15), connecting on a career-best 4-of-5 shots from 3-point land … Had his eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 boards against Auburn (3/30) in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament … Scored 10 points and grabbed a career-best 16 rebounds in a win over Wisconsin (3/2) … Handed out a career-best 5 assists, adding 8 points and 5 rebounds, in a win at Northwestern (1/12) … Had four-straight games with at least 10 rebounds … Scored 11 points and had 11 boards at Minnesota (12/4), 8 points and 12 rebounds against Nebraska (12/7), 14 points and 10 rebounds vs. Oakland (12/17) and 6 points with 12 boards against Florida Atlantic (12/21) … Scored 12 points and had 10 boards against Kansas (11/12) in the Champions Classic … Registered his first double-double of the season, and second career, with 20 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Niagara (11/7) … An Academic All-Big Ten selection.
2023-24 (Sophomore):
Appeared in 21 games … Missed the first 13 games of the season after a preseason foot injury and surgery sidelined him for 14 games … Finished the season averaging 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game … Blocked 11 shots (0.5 bpg) … Appeared in 17 Big Ten games, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.8 minutes … Made his first appearance of the season at Northwestern (1/7), playing three minutes … Scored 3 points and grabbed a season-high 7 rebounds in 13 minutes at Michigan … Scored a season-high 7 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a season-high 20 minutes against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament … An Academic All-Big Ten selection.
2022-23 (Freshman):
One of six players to appear in all 34 games … Averaged 10.7 minutes per game … Finished the season averaging 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game … Connected on 50.5 percent of his shots from the floor (50-of-99) … In Big Ten games, averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.2 minutes … Shot 61.5 percent from the floor (32-of-52) in league games … Scored in double figures twice and had one double-double … Had seven games with at least five rebounds … Scored at least six points in nine different games … Scored a career-high 12 points, connecting on 6-of-9 shots from the floor, and had a career-high 11 rebounds in a win at home against Rutgers (1/19) … Registered his first game in double figures with 10 points in a win over Nebraska (1/3) … Scored six points and had nine rebounds against Northern Arizona in his career debut (11/7).
Ranked No. 62 nationally, No. 9 among forwards and No. 6 in Utah • Scored 53 points and grabbed 23 rebounds and was named the Most Valuable Player at the Pangos All-American Festival in August 2021 • A first team selection at the Battle US event while playing for Strive for Greatness in July 2021 • Named the Utah 6A Player of the Year as a junior at American Fork, helping to lead the team to a 17-7 record and a state semifinal appearance • Finished the season averaging 21.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists • Scored 26 points and had 18 rebounds in the state semifinals • Spent a year at Coronado in Las Vegas and his freshman year at Wasatch Academy in Utah, playing with current MSU teammate Mady Sissoko • Was part of a team played in the GEICO Nationals.
PERSONAL
Jaxon Jeffry Kohler • Born on June 17, 2003 in American Fork, Utah • The son of Jeff and Amber Kohler • Has a sister, Kaylee, and two brothers, Jordan and Jase • Lists his father as his role model and says “I’ve just been trying to follow him since I was a little kid” • Has been nicknamed “The Big Footwork” and “Baby Jokic” • Watched highlights of Hakeem Olajuwon as a youth and wrote down post moves, step-by-step, in a journal before practicing them on a court • Lists talking to LeBron James after being named to the all-tournament team at the Battle US event in July 2021 as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” • Favvorite athletes is LeBron James • Plans to major in journalism.
