Michigan State's Coen Carr shoots against Bowling Green during the first half on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coen Carr's Excellent Exhibition Earns National Attention

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Michigan State beat Bowling Green in a preseason exhibition on Thursday night, 75-66.

While the final score did not matter, Tom Izzo said there were plenty of positives and negatives he and his staff will take away from the team’s first game action.

One of those positives was the performance of junior forward Coen Carr. He totaled 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, and five blocks in 29 minutes.

Some have grumbled about Izzo playing Carr so many minutes in a meaningless game, but fans shouldn’t be up in arms about Izzo managing his roster. Carr played well and helped MSU win the game, even if it didn’t matter.

Not only did Carr have a big game, but he now has national attention. Basketball fans who don’t watch Michigan State are discovering his athleticism, and some NBA fans want to see Carr on their teams.

Michigan State’s Coen Carr had an effortless exhibition debut vs Bowling Green today

17 points
5 rebounds
4 assists
5 blocks
7-11 FG
29 minutes

Best pure athlete in college basketball, displayed some high level defensive sequences, looked a lot more comfortable playmaking… pic.twitter.com/jbj9fjvJVu
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) October 24, 2025

While it was only an exhibition game against a MAC school, Carr’s performance may have put him on NBA Draft radars.

Coen Carr: NBA Draft prospect?

The upcoming 2026 NBA Draft class is loaded with elite talent, so don’t expect Carr to be a lottery pick. However, as of now, it would not be surprising to see him sneak into the first round or be a high-upside second-round pick.

NBADraftRoom.com has Carr going No. 40 overall to the Boston Celtics.

“A freak athlete and one of the best dunkers you’ll ever see, Carr has been rounding out the rest of his game and is looking more and more like a future NBA player,” the website says of Carr.

However, several other big NBA Draft databases, like Bleacher Report, do not have Carr selected with any pick.

Carr would be arguably the best athlete in next year’s draft class, and he has improved as a defender and passer. However, his offensive game still needs some work, as his jump shot is still a work in progress.

If Carr can develop a better jumper, he could continue to work his way up draft boards. As he becomes a more complete player and gets more eyes on him, his draft stock will only rise.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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