Rumors were swirling on Thursday that former Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler was getting set to commit and that he was down to two programs: BYU and Kentucky.
He had reportedly trimmed Kansas and Louisville from his list after originally cutting his list to four with those programs also involved. This came weeks after Tom Izzo opened up about the fact that he wouldn’t be pursuing any fifth-year guys, including his own former players in Kohler and Tre Holloman.
That meant that Kohler could turn his focus fully on his fifth year elsewhere.
On Thursday night, he made the big decision about his home for the next school year. And his next home happens to be his first home: Utah.
That’s right, Kohler is headed back to Utah to play for BYU.
BREAKING: Michigan State transfer Jaxon Kohler tells me that he has committed to BYU.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 21, 2026
Averaged 12.5 PPG and 8.9 RPG last season.
Kohler is pursuing a fifth year and is currently eligible following the preliminary injunction in California.
This has to hurt a little extra for Kentucky fans because head coach Mark Pope came from BYU and now it feels like he’s losing way too many big-time recruiting battles, including to his former program.
However, this is best-case scenario for Michigan State. On one hand, losing Kohler hurts, but on the other, at least he’s not playing for a blue blood like Kentucky or Kansas who could stand in Michigan State’s way of a potential Final Four or national title run. That’s not saying that BYU won’t contend, but the hate isn’t there within Spartan fans for the Cougars like it is for Kentucky and Kansas.
BYU got itself an absolute demon in Kohler who averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in 2025-26.
Jaxon Kohler gets a family reunion
Kohler is headed back to where he grew up and even where he spent some time in the NBA Summer League with the Jazz back in Utah. He’s back home and that’s only going to do wonders for his career for a few major reasons.
For one, Kohler is surely getting paid some serious NIL money to return, assuming his eligibility ruling is upheld. Two, he gets another chance to prove himself as an NBA prospect. And three, he gets to spend the next year with family before having to make a huge basketball career change. He’s repaying his parents who traveled to most of his games by playing the next year in their backyard.
Unlike some previous Spartan transfers, it’s going to be pretty easy to root for Kohler considering he gave everything he had to Michigan State for four years and left on great terms.
Go crazy, Jaxon (unless it’s against MSU).
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