Michigan State Emerging for Elite 2026 Center Prospect

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Luke Joseph | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Ethan Taylor has been one of Michigan State basketball’s biggest targets during the 2026 high school basketball recruiting cycle. Michigan State is unfortunately going to lose both Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper as they will be graduating after this season. With that in mind, the Spartans will need a center for the future, and Taylor would be a great player for Izzo to have.

Taylor is a 7-foot-tall center from Branson, Missouri, who plays for Link Academy, along with current Spartans point guard commit Carlos Medlock and MSU target Tristan Reed. Taylor has listed his final six schools: Michigan State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Recently, Joe Tipton of On3 reported on some of the top uncommitted players in the 2026 high school class. When speaking on Taylor, Tipton reports that Michigan State is firmly in the driver's seat in their recruitment of him.

“It sounded like Michigan State was the school carrying the momentum coming off the 7-footer’s trip to East Lansing. I haven’t heard anything else that would suggest the Spartans aren’t in a really good spot. Prior to that visit, I was hearing a decent amount of buzz on Indiana, but it sounds like the Hoosiers are now focusing on Arafan Diane.” Said Tipton.

Taylor has already taken his official visit to Michigan State on October 10th while the Spartans had its annual Midnight Madness event.

“It was definitely crazy,” Taylor said. “I had a great time out there. Midnight Madness was amazing. The atmosphere was really fun to be around. Watching the guys have a dunk contest, the scrimmage, even the women’s team. And then going to the campout and experiencing that, that was top 10. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something like that night.”

How He Fits at MSU

Taylor is a top player in the 2026 class, ranked 25th according to On3. Taylor is a great offensive post player who can get to his spot and make a quick move for an easy dunk with his 7-3 wingspan.

Taylor is also a great lob threat, something Izzo has employed with great success over the years. Quick for his size, Taylor is an underrated passer who looks to find the open man for a three-point shot or cutting to the basket.

While Taylor hasn’t set a commitment date yet, momentum continues to swing Michigan State’s way. For Izzo and the Spartans, landing Taylor would be a massive win and a key step in reloading the front court for seasons to come.

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

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