Any time a new freshman class gets to campus for the first time, coaches have to hope that their new teammates take them under their wings. It doesn’t always happen, but when you’ve built a culture like Tom Izzo has in East Lansing, it’s rare when it doesn’t happen.
Fortunately, he didn’t have to worry about that with Carson Cooper and Cam Ward.
Coming to East Lansing as a four-star freshman who was one of the best players in the DMV, Ward wanted to have an early impact, and he trusted Cooper to show him the ropes.
In doing so, both players benefitted and got better.
Izzo talked about that relationship during his media availability on Friday afternoon before the second-round game against Louisville on Saturday.
Tom Izzo: "Coop took Cam under his wing early, and Cam went under Coop's wing early. There's no entitlement. Cam will be better for next year's freshman. People are lucky to be in programs where the young guys get mentored. I take my hat off to Carson."
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) March 20, 2026
It’s very obvious how much Cooper means to both Izzo and this Michigan State team as a whole. Not only is he bringing it every night, averaging a career-high 11 points and 7.2 rebounds, but he’s also mentoring the up-and-comers in the program so that those guys can take what they learned and pass it on.
Izzo even said that Ward will use that with next year’s freshman class.
Between this credit that Izzo is giving to Cooper for carrying on the mentoring tradition and the Hall of Fame coach constantly joking about getting a fifth year for his starting center, it’s clear that he means a whole heck of a lot to the Spartan coaching legend.
Next year’s team could use a Carson Cooper
Witnessing Cooper’s growth this season has been a treat. He went from averaging 5.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game to 11 and 7 this season. He’s also gone from a role player to a leader and he’s one of Izzo’s most trusted players.
Next year’s team is going to miss Cooper. Obviously getting him back for a fifth season would be perfect, but it’s not going to happen. Ward is going to have to assume that role.
If Ward takes what he learned from Cooper this year and applies it to his play next year, he’s going to be averaging 10 and 7. He’s going to bring that toughness and experience to the post.
Ward gets to take Ethan Taylor under his wing next season and hopefully those two can become even a fraction of what Cooper and Jaxon Kohler were this year.