Spartans' High-Flying Forward Impresses the Nation
The Michigan State Spartans basketball program has something special in sophomore forward Coen Carr.
During the Spartans' annual "Michigan State Madness" last week, they held a dunk contest with a few of the high-flying players to showcase their dunking skills. Carr ran away with the contest and won with a jaw-dropping, between-the-legs dunk from the free throw line.
Ever see a between-the-legs dunk from the FT line?
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) October 5, 2024
Coen Carr did it last night 😳 pic.twitter.com/JnWcGivTCb
The amount of national recognition that Carr received was overwhelming as he is putting the entire nation on notice with his ability to jump out of the gym. Several national media outlets posted multiple of Carr's dunks from last week and were marveled by his ability to soar through the air.
In his freshman year, the Stockbridge, Georgia native averaged just 11.6 minutes and 3.1 points per game. He was second on the team in blocks (18) and shot just over 65% from the field in 63 attempts.
He is listed at 6-5, 225 pounds with exceptional bounce and ability to finish through contact at the rim. As a program that prides itself on its physical play in the paint, Carr fits the bill. There were be a number of highlight plays this season of him putting his jumping ability and physicality on display.
“Carr was the other one that had some incredible plays, we got him in the open court a lot,” Coach Tom Izzo said regarding Carr’s play last season. “He has improved his shooting, he's improved his free throw shooting, but what he's really done is he's taken it to the hole even better and put the ball on the floor better. So, hopefully, those things will lead to some good things.”
Out of high school, Carr was ranked as a four-star recruit and No. 25 in the ESPN Top 100. His time on the floor will definitely increase as he will shoulder a larger role this year with fellow forwards, Xavier Booker, Frankie Fidler, and Jaxon Kohler.
The Spartans open up their season on October 13th, in Marquette, Michigan. They will play an exhibition match against Izzo's alma mater, Northern Michigan University. It will be a good litmus test to see where Carr stacks up in the lineup for a season that possesses high expectations.
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