Cooper's heartfelt goodbye reveals an emotional journey, a testament to his dedication and a remarkable senior season surge.
Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler were two of the more polarizing players on the Spartans squad this season. As the team’s two main seniors — and two of its biggest bodies in the paint — a lot of the game funneled right through them.
On Wednesday, Cooper shared an appreciation message that hits right in the feelings. If you’re not much of a crier, you might want to start chopping onions before reading it.
Cooper said:
“SPARTAN NATION,
I'm just a kid from Jackson, Michigan that got to live out a dream. Four years after I committed to Michigan State, I'm leaving as part of the Spartan family.
Coming to Michigan State and being a part of the men's basketball team, being a student here and being part of this great University was the best decision I've ever made.
The memories I've made here will be with me forever.
From MSU Madness to crowd-surfing at the Izzone Campout, to hearing "Cooooopp" when my name was introduced and to the energy our fans brought to the Breslin Center every game, there is no better place to play college basketball.
To the IZZONE, the best student section in America, I can't thank you enough. Every game, you brought the energy that made the Breslin Center the toughest place to play. I'm going to miss your energy and high-fiving you after every game.
To our fans and alumni, you showed me how important this University is to the 500,000 living alumni. Every game, home or away, you showed up and supported us. A lot of schools don't have that type of support. We do.
It was an honor to put on that jersey for the last four years and I'm proud to be graduating from this great University.
I thank you for all of your support these last four years. I may have come here as a kid from Jackson, but I'm leaving as a Spartan.
Forever,
Carson Cooper”
With all the hoopla around college sports right now — and with everything turning into the Wild Wild West — it’s extremely rare to see kids stay true to their word and ride out a full four-year stretch with one team.
That was Cooper.
Honestly, that’s been true of a lot of Spartans over the years, but that’s a different conversation for a different day.
For now, we stick with Coop.
And what a final season it was.
Cooper truly exploded onto the scene in his senior year, nearly doubling up in just about every major statistical category. His scoring climbed every single season he was in East Lansing, going from 1.6 points per game as a freshman, to 3.4 as a sophomore, to 5.0 as a junior, before capping it all off at 11.1 points per game this season.
The jump didn’t stop there, either.
His assists rose from 0.6 to 1.5 per game. His rebounds improved from 5.2 to 7.1. His free throw average jumped from 1.6 to 3.3. His field goals made increased from 1.7 to 3.9. Even his minutes climbed significantly, going from 17.2 per game to 26.7.
That kind of leap doesn’t just happen by accident.
Coming into this season, Cooper had started only eight total games in his Michigan State career, all of which came during his sophomore season. As a junior, he came off the bench and filled his role where needed. But this year, he beat out Xavier Booker — who later departed for UCLA — and never looked back.
Once he grabbed the job, he made sure nobody was taking it from him.
As a senior, Cooper became a staple in Tom Izzo’s plans, and for good reason. He started all 35 games this season and became a pivotal piece in Michigan State’s success.
His chemistry with Jeremy Fears Jr. was especially fun to watch. Fears meshed beautifully with Cooper, feeding him countless pick-and-roll lobs and easy looks around the rim. But Cooper was more than just a finisher — he became someone MSU could rely on when momentum needed to shift.
There were stretches this season where Cooper flat-out took over games.
Whether it was battling on the glass, protecting the paint, running the floor, or finishing through contact, Cooper gave Michigan State everything he had. Night after night, he laid his body on the line for Izzo, for his teammates, and for Spartan fans everywhere.
And that’s what makes his goodbye hit a little harder.
Because in an era where so much of college athletics feels temporary, transactional, and uncertain, Cooper felt like one of the rare ones. He stayed. He developed. He waited his turn. And when his moment finally came, he delivered.
That matters.
A kid from Jackson who came to East Lansing with a dream is now leaving as a true Spartan. He may not go down as one of the flashiest names to ever wear the green and white, but he absolutely earned his place in the Michigan State family.
And around East Lansing, that means something forever.