The NBA Summer League tipped off over the holiday weekend and there were some Fourth of July fireworks in the form of highlight plays by some former college stars.
One, in particular, happened to be a Michigan State alum and former Big Ten champion. It also happened to be against a former Michigan star and lottery pick from this past draft.
Carson Cooper and Aday Mara faced off once again on Saturday and they both played pretty well in their NBA Summer League debuts. Cooper put up 11 points and five rebounds for the Memphis Grizzlies while Mara dropped 10 points with three boards for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The play of the game between the Spartan and Wolverine took place in the third quarter.
Cooper set a pick for former Michigan State transfer target Javon Small at the top of the key before leaking toward the hoop and calling for a lob. Small hit Cooper right where he wanted it before Mara could adjust and the Michigan State rookie threw down one of the best early dunks of Summer League ball, putting his Michigan counterpart on a poster.
Carson Cooper with the wicked alley-oop dunk over Aday Mara, off a lob by Javon Small (with replays) pic.twitter.com/cRiWRTlYy7
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 4, 2026
Every Michigan State fan has seen this exact play unfold about 100 times but it’s weird to see the lob coming from a point guard not named Jeremy Fears Jr.
Obviously it’s just Summer League so these highlights are fun and all, but it means nothing unless Cooper can impress the organization enough to earn a real look at the roster. He did sign a two-way deal so he’s going to be splitting his time between the G-League and the NBA, but Memphis is going to have a tough time turning him away if he keeps making plays like these.
Mara did come down on the next possession and pull off a nifty move to get Cooper off balance and he also dunked, but the Michigan State big man didn’t jump so poster avoided.
Day-dreaming about a fifth year of Carson Cooper
There was talk about a potential fifth year for Cooper shortly after the season and Michigan State fans were all for it. He would give the Spartans a much-needed boost at a center position that needed help following his departure. Plus, he mastered Izzo’s system so he would have been a perfect option at the five with a projected loaded 2026-27 roster.
Now we’re watching him score in the double figures and throw down a poster dunk over a lottery pick who he struggled with during the regular season.
I can’t help but day-dream about what a fifth year of Cooper would have looked like.
Cooper would have been one of the best lob threats in the country again and he likely would have added a consistent jumper from mid-range and even deep. He hit a three in his Summer League debut against the Thunder, finishing with 11 points.
Michigan State bigs have had plenty of success in Memphis in the past — Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Randolph — so why not continue that tradition with Cooper?
The rookie has some work to do, but he’s off to a great start.
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