Michigan State Basketball: Jaxon Kohler wins Moneyball MVP

Moneyball is an annual event that showcases some of the best talent the Lansing area has to offer. All players are either current or former college basketball players, so you know there’s always good talent involved. Most Michigan State players take part as it is a low-key but exciting event to take part in during their offseason.

Kohler played excellent all summer, averaging 34.5 points per game. Very little defense is played in these games, but 34.5 points is still very impressive.

Kohler also helped lead his team to the Moneyball championship as well. Fellow Spartan sophomore Tre Holloman was also on Kohler’s team and played great as well. Holloman led their team in the semifinals with 31 points and a Moneyball record nine 3-pointers. Hearing how well they played only increases my excitement for this season.

What this could mean for this season

Kohler and Holloman will not be featured players this season for Michigan State. That however does not mean they won’t play important roles. Both Kohler and Holloman will get decent minutes off the bench and be relied upon to help run the show when the starters come out. They are very capable of contributing every time on the floor and likely will make big plays all season long.

As a freshman, Kohler averaged 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11 minutes per game. His best game by far was against Rutgers on Jan. 19 where he showed off his impressive post game and footwork. Kohler got his only double-double on the year with 12 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes played. All three are career highs for him. Kohler wasn’t just a one-hit wonder last year. He followed that game up with a nine-point, six-rebound showing on the road at Indiana and also scored 10 points against Nebraska on Jan. 3.

The next step for Kohler

As mentioned, Kohler won’t be the main guy for Michigan State this season. Tyson Walker, AJ Hoggard, Jaden Akins, and Malik Hall all returning will be the go-to guys again. That doesn’t mean Kohler won’t be important, though.

Not only will he be relied on to contribute off the bench, he will also play a crucial role in the development of the incoming freshmen. The incoming freshmen class is extremely talented, but adjusting to the college game can be difficult. Kohler will be able to help them make the adjustment to the college game and college life in general and help push them to be the best they can be.

The future is bright for Kohler. Many videos have been released this offseason showing his improvement, and the Moneyball MVP is just another example of that. I expect Jaxon to take the next step forward at Michigan State both on the court with his play and his leadership.

Click the link below for highlights from Kohler’s Moneyball performance.

Big things could be coming for Kohler in 2023-24.