Tom Izzo is facing some important upcoming deadlines. The transfer portal window closes next week which means that his team would be locked in if no one enters before April 21. This also means that he must move to add a center from the transfer portal because there’s a huge void at Michigan State’s center spot.
Sure, Jesse McCulloch has shown promise and Ethan Taylor is a borderline five-star incoming 7-footer, but neither is proven and Michigan State has an otherwise loaded roster.
The Spartans are built for national title contention at every position besides center. If he doesn’t add a starting-caliber center to the 2026-27 roster, that will end up being his downfall. For a third straight year, not pushing for a top transfer portal addition could lead to his eventual NCAA Tournament elimination.
In 2024-25, he needed more shooters and a starting center and he landed Frankie Fidler who was fairly inconsistent and Szymon Zapala who was pretty solid but nothing to write home about. In 2025-26, Michigan State needed go-to scorers in the backcourt and on the wing and Kaleb Glenn suffered an injury before the year, Divine Ugochukwu was injured midway through Big Ten play, and Trey Fort struggled to see the court. Izzo can’t afford a third straight underwhelming portal haul.
However, Michigan State’s best-case scenario for its 2026-26 roster isn’t headlined by a portal addition, but rather one Carson Cooper. If Izzo can somehow get Cooper back for a fifth year, I think Michigan State has everything it needs to compete for a national championship.
Fingers are crossed for Carson Cooper’s return
Honestly, this was something that wasn’t seriously on the radar until the past few days after Cooper appeared on LockedOn Spartans with Matt Sheehan and said that if the NCAA ruled he could come back for a fifth year, he’d definitely entertain it. He went even further, admitting that he’s had those conversations with the coaching staff.
The NCAA is currently meeting and talking about the fifth year of eligibility that could come to fruition, but no one knows if that’s going to include current seniors.
If it does, I’d expect Cooper to return, and the best-case scenario lineup has him at center:
PG: Jeremy Fears Jr.
SG: Jordan Scott/Jasiah Jervis
SF: Coen Carr
PF: Cam Ward
C: Carson Cooper
Although I do see the concerns with the lack of shooting in the post in this starting lineup, it would give Michigan State somewhat of a three-headed monster down low. The Spartans could do what Michigan did this past season and just dominate the post with size and athleticism.
If Carr can continue improving that jumper and Cooper adds the occasional three to his repertoire while Ward improves from outside five feet, I’d expect this lineup to score at will even without five plus 3-point shooters. Scott, Jervis, Kur Teng, Fears, and Kaleb Glenn can all take care of the shooting issues.
I would just assume that another offseason of improvement for Cooper would bring a 3-point shot.
Who wouldn’t be all-in on a Cooper return at this point?
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