Denied a return to East Lansing by Tom Izzo, the "Kohler Bear" seeks a new home as blue-blood programs circle the productive forward and his fifth-year eligibility.
It’s kind of hard to imagine, but it looks like the deed is officially done.
This will most likely be the second-to-last article I write about Jaxon Kohler, a.k.a. the Kohler Bear, with the last one being his commitment to another college.
If you’ve missed the 100 articles written about Kohler thus far, here’s a quick synopsis: Kohler is one of many 2022 high school graduates to file an injunction to earn a fifth year of eligibility. Now that the NCAA has adopted the 5-in-5 rule, allowing students five years of eligibility, Kohler and the rest of the class won and are allotted a fifth year if they meet the requirements.
Kohler does meet the requirements and is allowed to come back to college basketball despite playing in the NBA Summer League for the Utah Jazz. However, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has already come out and said his team is final and they will not be able to make room for any returning Spartans or ex-Spartans.
So, Kohler’s time in East Lansing is officially finito.
Kohler averaged 12.5 points per game and a team-leading 8.9 rebounds per game. Kohler plays with a tenacity no Spartan fan wants to lose. His insane roars, reminding everyone of a polar bear — a.k.a. the Kohler Bear — will be missed dearly in the Breslin Center, but the time has come for Kohler and the Spartans to part ways.
Now that we’re all caught up, per a report on X via Joe Tipton, Kohler plans to enter the transfer portal, with his agent Adam Godes telling On3.
Thus, officially putting an end to his time in the green and white.
It’s already been reported that the 6-foot-9 forward has garnered much interest from teams around the league, which should come as no surprise. Per reports, Kentucky, Kansas, BYU and Louisville have all been in contact with Kohler’s team about returning and playing for them.
As of right now, none of those four teams are playing the Spartans, thus leaving a matchup between Kohler and the Spartans only available in the NCAA Tournament if both teams get there. Which, keep in mind, the Final Four will be held in Detroit, MI.
Now that it’s officially set in motion, the question that might be weighing on people’s minds is: Why didn’t Izzo make room for a player who could immediately be an impact player, as all of Spartans Nation knows he can be?
Well, it seems that Izzo, even in his 31st season of coaching, has not and will not waver from how he builds his team and the trust he has in all the players on his team.
It’s easy to look at a few players on the roster and think, “Those guys aren’t as good as Kohler right now.” But Izzo knows how to develop with the best of coaches, and Kohler would’ve been a guy people said, “We’d cut for someone great right now,” a few years ago.
This is the point where Spartan fans are going to have to trust Tom Izzo and know that he understands what’s best for the program he’s dedicated his entire life to.
It will be sad to see Kohler playing elsewhere and not screaming uncontrollably in the green and white, but all Spartan fans will be wishing him nothing but the best — unless a matchup against Michigan State comes in the tournament, which I bet everyone is secretly hoping for.
