EXCLUSIVE: MSU's Jaxon Kohler Says 'Everyone Came Back With a Bigger Voice'

Michigan State men's basketball froward Jaxon Kohler is going to be one of several returners that will be tasked with having a larger role this season.

Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler (0) dribbles against Minnesota forward Parker Fox (23) during the second half of Second Round of Big Ten tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. on Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State men's basketball has fallen short of its standards in recent seasons, and with every year that happens, the pressure builds for the upperclassmen and returners to right the wrongs of the year before.

This year, there are a number of Spartan returners who will have the responsibility of not only taking on larger roles on the court but also roles as leaders on the team.

According to Michigan State junior forward Jaxon Kohler, that process has already begun.

"Honestly, I feel like everyone came back with a bigger voice," Kohler told me at the 2024 Moneyball Pro-Am on Tuesday. " ... But we're all doing good in practice and can't wait to get the season started."

Michigan State lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, ultimately finishing the year 20-15 with an even 10-10 record in Big Ten play.

"We all kind of came back with a different mindset that we want to change the narrative of what happened last year and try to make it further into our goals," Kohler said. "I feel like last year, we came up a little short of what we wanted to accomplish, and I feel like, this year, we have a good chance of doing what we want to accomplish."

As far as "changing the narrative" goes, Spartan coach Tom Izzo has been emphasizing that need for leadership.

"Leadership is something big that he wants us to acknowledge and try to work on," Kohler said. "Being better and together as a team. We got to bond together better than we did last year. Those are some of the bigger things that we try to work on."

Kohler has been a reserve big man for the Spartans over the past two seasons, but as the team anticipates full health for the third-year forward -- which he didn't have going into last year's campaign -- Kohler could be seeing the floor a lot more this coming season.

The veteran Spartan has been stealing the show at the Moneyball Pro-Am this year, most recently having scored an incredible 58 points on Tuesday night. He is looking to repeat as the Moneyball Pro-Am MVP this year.

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