The college career of Jaxon Kohler may not be done for, after all.
Kohler is among a group of college players seemingly attempting to gain a fifth year of eligibility in the wake of the NCAA’s shift to a “5-in-5” system. CBS’s Jon Rothstein reported on Friday afternoon that Kohler was one of many players listed on an injunction that is to be filed in California. Carson Cooper is not among the list of players seeking another year here.
Why Kohler Has a Case
Kohler is a member of the high school class of 2022 that has gotten a slightly raw deal from the NCAA. They and the class of 2021 are two high school classes that received only four years of eligibility, while everyone else around them will have the chance at five. The NCAA didn’t count the 2020-21 season against anybody’s eligibility, and Kohler would still be eligible today if the 5-in-5 system had started one year earlier.
The NCAA is attempting to get this rule into place without grandfathering in outgoing athletes, but like plenty of NCAA rules, it’s on flimsy legal footing. Players like Kohler are potentially missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe millions, by not getting that extra year of eligibility that those younger than them are getting. Kohler has signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Utah Jazz and has been playing in NBA Summer League in the meantime.
Could MSU Bring Kohler Back?
Certainly, Kohler is the caliber of player Tom Izzo would love to get another year out of. He averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game as a senior last season, leading the Spartans in made three-pointers and rebounds. It’s not quite so simple, though. Kohler could fetch plenty of money on the open market from other schools, and the roster situation in East Lansing is a little bit tricky…