Jaxon Kohler is officially a BYU Cougar, making his commitment on Thursday and capping off a wild recruiting chase. The Michigan State transfer was a serious target for the Kentucky Wildcats, who even had coach Mark Pope on a Zoom meeting with Kohler on Wednesday, but BYU ultimately snagged the big forward. Talk about a swing and a miss for Big Blue Nation!
Why Kohler Headed West Instead of Bluegrass Bound
This whole move makes total sense for Kohler. He couldn’t go back to Michigan State because their roster was already full. So, what do you do? Head home! Kohler’s from Utah, and returning to the Cougars brings him right back to his roots. It’s not the first time Pope has come calling, either. He actually recruited Kohler out of high school when Pope was first at BYU, but Michigan State won that battle. Pope tried again this offseason, chasing the 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward, but no dice this time around either.
Kentucky Just Missed Out on a Certified Bucket-Getter
Wildcats fans might not lose too much sleep over playing against Kohler often, since a matchup between the two would likely only happen in the NCAA Tournament. But they should be bummed about what they missed. Kohler spent four years with the Spartans and just got granted a fifth year of eligibility thanks to that Colorado lawsuit against the NCAA. And man, he can play! Last season, he put up 12.5 points and grabbed 8.9 rebounds per game, even shooting a solid 38.9% from deep. Need more proof? Just look at his game against Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic. The dude went off for 20 points on 8/12 shooting, including a perfect 2/2 from downtown, plus five boards, two assists, and a block in Michigan State’s 83-66 victory over the Wildcats. That’s production, plain and simple!
BYU is looking at another strong starting five with Kohler joining returning star point guard Rob Wright III, Kentucky transfer guard Collin Chandler, and 5-star forward Brunch Branch III. The big question for them is bench depth, which they might lack compared to last season. As for Kentucky? They’re back to the drawing board, exploring options to fill that final roster spot. Many think Missouri forward Mark Mitchell could be the guy if his eligibility gets sorted. What a ride this transfer portal stuff is!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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