MSU's Tom Izzo High on the Development of Veteran Forward
Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler is getting a shot at a big bounce-back season after missing the first part of the 2023-24 campaign.
Kohler has taken full advantage of his offseason and has put himself in a position to be a crucial contributor in the rotation.
On Tuesday, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo discussed the progression of the veteran forward.
"He's really changed his body," Izzo said. "Lorenzo [Dr. Lorenzo Guess] has done a great job with some of these guys. Book [Xavier Booker] has really changed his body. So, I'm really pleased with that. And Jaxon has been as consistent -- I think when he got hurt last year, that hurt us. But he's way better than he was last year. And what does that mean as we move forward? Who knows. He's still got to be able to guard somebody. I said, 'Everybody wants to move up a position -- centers, forwards, forwards, guards, guards, point guard, point guards want to coach the team. Everybody moves up. But at the same time, you got to be able to guard somebody too. And those will be the challenges.
"But I think -- I had Draymond [Green] talk to him a little bit about, sometimes you don't have to be as quick, you have to be as smart, you have to study more film. You have to use your basketball IQ defensively as well as offensively, which this kid has done all of that. So we're going to soon find out, but I like what I've been seeing."
Izzo had also praised Kohler's shooting, something the third-year Spartan noted in the summer.
"For the last year, I've been getting a lot better at my outside shooting and kind of my play-making ability and trying to create plays for other guys and try to work on my 3-point shooting and try to be a versatile player," Kohler said when he joined "The Drive with Jack" back in July. "Not just a player who goes block to block, post to post -- try to stretch out the game a little bit."
We'll see if Kohler's development continues to be evident when the Spartans take on Northern Michigan at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan, on Sunday.
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