It might be time that Michigan State has a southern campus close to Memphis because it feels like there’s been a Spartan on the Grizzlies’ roster for decades now.
Actually, since 2009, the Grizzlies have had at least one Spartan on their roster each season.
Carson Cooper is extending that streak after signing a two-way contract with the Grizzlies shortly after the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft wrapped up. The two-way contract means that he won’t be on the Grizzlies’ active roster all season but he’ll be splitting time between Memphis and its G-League affiliate during his rookie campaign.
With the addition of Cooper, Memphis adds to its long line of Spartans that dates back to Zach Randolph.
Michigan State has a long history with the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is no stranger to signing Spartans and Cooper is just the latest in a long line.
The history of Spartans in Memphis started with Randolph in 2009 when he signed with the organization after short stints with the Knicks and Clippers following a six-year career with the team that drafted him, the Portland Trail Blazers. He ended up making a couple of All-Star teams and had his No. 50 retired by the Grizzlies. Randolph is who sparked Memphis’ love of Spartans.
In the final years of Randolph, Memphis traded for the draft rights of Deyonta Davis back in 2016. Randolph got to mentor the raw Michigan State big man who was a one-and-done under Izzo, but he never really stuck in the NBA and was only in Memphis from 2016-18.
There wasn’t any overlap with Jaren Jackson Jr. as he was drafted by Memphis in 2018 and spent his first 7.5 years in the NBA with the Grizzlies. He was traded to the Utah Jazz last season but he, too, was one of the best bigs that Memphis had ever rostered and he was a two-time All-Star and one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Jackson also got the opportunity to play with one of his best friends in Xavier Tillman. The former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year joined Jackson in Memphis and the two played together from 2020-2024 before Tillman was traded to the Boston Celtics where he won an NBA title. He hasn’t had the most productive career, but he showed flashes in Memphis.
And now the Grizzlies have Cooper who’s a former IMG Academy B-teamer and zero-star recruit. He’ll now be making around $800,000 to play in the G-League and NBA next year.
Memphis is East Lansing South.
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