Aug. 8, 2026, 5:31 p.m. MT
Former Michigan State center Jaxon Kohler is a transfer portal target for the BYU Cougars.Kohler was granted a fifth year of eligibility and is considered one of the top players returning to college basketball.The 6-foot-10 center is also being pursued by other top programs, including Kansas and Kentucky.
Ever since the class of 2022 was granted a fifth-year of college eligibility, former Michigan State center Jaxon Kohler has been a transfer portal target for the BYU Cougars. Even though there are concerns over whether fifth-year players can even enter the portal, he remains linked to BYU with hopes that the ruling will be passed allowing players to transfer.
With center remaining a dire position of need for the Cougars, Kohler, as one of the top players granted an extra year of eligibility, would fit right in at BYU.
CBS Sports tabbed him as one of the best 5th-year players that is expected to make a return to college basketball.
“Kohler was the second-best player on a Michigan State club that earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament,” Isaac Trotter wrote. “The 6-10, 245-pound big man can play the 4 or the 5 and is a voracious rebounder with real skill as a pick-and-pop big or post-up threat. Kohler cashed 58 3-pointers at a 39% clip last season and profiles as a double-double machine if he gets a fifth season. Kohler will have a ton of suitors — headlined by Kentucky, Kansas and BYU — with a return to Michigan State potentially on the table as well.”
As a senior during the 2025-26 season, Kohler averaged a career-high 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while knocking down a high percentage of his three-pointers. He’d be a hand-in-glove fit in Young’s fast-paced offense, as he’s an undersized center with solid athleticism. Kohler also showcased himself as one of the top defenders in the Big Ten with his rugged frame — similar to how former center Keba Keita operated in the middle of the defense last season.
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As mentioned, BYU isn’t the only program looking to add Kohler, as the Cougars are in competition with blue-bloods such as Kansas and Kentucky. Something that will help in his convincing is that Kohler is both a Utah native and of LDS faith, potentially making a transfer to BYU more enticing.
He’d also step right in as the starting center and play in a system that fits his skillset. We’ll see if it plays out in a favorable way for BYU, or if they’ll have to pivot and find another starting center.
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