Michigan State Gains Commitment From 2022 Center Prospect

The Spartans add needed depth to their front court

Michigan State men's basketball added a late piece to their 2022 recruiting class on Sunday when 6-foot-11 big man Carson Cooper pledged his commitment to the Spartans following an official visit to East Lansing.

100% committed‼️ I’m extremely blessed and grateful for everyone that has helped me get to this point in my basketball career! I also want to thank all of the college coaches that have put their time into recruiting me. I am officially a Spartan!🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/1WsQHdnJYT

— Carson Cooper (@TheCarsonCoop) May 8, 2022

"I'm extremely blessed and grateful for everyone who has helped me get to this point in my basketball career," Carson wrote on Twitter. "I also want to thank all of the college coaches that have put their time into recruiting me. I am officially a Spartan!"

Cooper has been described as a "late bloomer", having gone mostly unrecruited during his first three seasons of high school basketball in Jackson, Mich. He then transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his senior season and started to gain interest from several mid-major schools.

This past year, Cooper was offered scholarships by Vermont, Eastern Michigan, American and Duquesne. He took official visits to Vermont and Eastern Michigan last fall and Duquesne in February, but opted to keep his options open.

Cooper opted to join the Florida Rebels in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League this spring, and that was where Michigan State coaches took notice of the center prospect. Things moved quickly from there, and a couple weeks later the Spartans have earned Cooper's commitment.

After considering a post-graduate year, Cooper will head to East Lansing right away but plans to use a redshirt year in 2022-23. A year in Michigan State's strength and conditioning program will prepare the versatile center prospect for life in the Big Ten.

Cooper joins Top 70 commits Jaxon Kohler (power forward, No. 53 overall) and Tre Holloman (point guard, No. 69 overall) in the Spartans' 2022 recruiting class.