Tom Izzo's transfer portal luck (or un-luck) needs to be studied. While he's landed quality transfers over the years like Bryn Forbes, Joey Hauser, and Tyson Walker, there have been some flops as well as guys who never really lives up to the hype.
Instead of targeting players who would be sure plug-and-play guys, Izzo likes to find the diamonds in the rough who could contribute but who aren't going to cost an arm and a leg.
We saw that in the last two portal classes with guys like Frankie Fidler, Szymon Zapala, Trey Fort, Divine Ugochukwu, Kaleb Glenn, and Denham Wojcik. Ugochukwu and Glenn figure to be key members of the 2026-27 squad, but there's a serious need at center that fans have been begging Izzo to fill with an elite big man.
After seemingly swinging and flying out at the warning track on Aiden Sherrell and likely not pursuing Moustapha Thiam, Izzo is having to turn to other options for that starting center spot.
One of the potential options could already be on campus.
Carson Cooper appeared on Locked On Spartans hosted by Matt Sheehan and the two talked about everything from the senior big man's MSU career to his pending pro career to everything in between. He was asked by Sheehan about the possibility of a fifth year of eligibility, and Cooper's response wasn't exactly a nothing-burger.
He said he'd entertain the idea of a fifth year and he's already talked to coaches about it.
Who KNOWS if or when the NCAA five year eligibility rule will pass.
— Fireball sommelier (@Sheehan_Sports) April 14, 2026
But if it's soon...could that mean a return for @TheCarsonCoop? 👀https://t.co/YuuaBTgv3Y pic.twitter.com/11e1lvd9Sk
Thats... not nothing. He seemed pretty intrigued by the idea and wouldn't say that his Michigan State career is officially over -- yet.
This could be an interesting development to monitor.
Carson Cooper is exactly what the 2026-27 team needs
If you told me three years ago that instead of targeting a portal center, Michigan State could be lobbying for a fifth year of Cooper, I probably would have asked just how bad the state of the program was. Cooper came to Michigan State as a zero-star recruit from IMG Academy's B-team and he's since become one of the most trusty bigs in the Big Ten.
Cooper isn't going to win any Big Ten Player of the Year awards, but he could make the all-defensive team and he possesses the perfect 6-foot-11, 250-pound frame to give Michigan State that perfect center for a national title contending team.
The senior from Jackson, Mich., just needs to add a consistent jumper or at least prove to be somewhat of a threat from three and I think he could be that missing piece. He's already the perfect pick-and-roll guy for Jeremy Fears Jr.
If you were told that instead of getting a portal center, Michigan State would get Cooper back for a fifth year, you'd probably be thrilled. Cooper would be a top center in the portal.
The NCAA needs to get moving on this fifth year of eligibility rule.
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