Spartans' Senior Big Man Primed for Standout Senior Season

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 4:10 PM ET

Michigan State veteran center Carson Cooper took an incredible leap forward this past season and was one of the top post players in the Big Ten. He has a chance to break out as one of the top centers in the entire country this year with much more still left in the tank.

Cooper was dominant almost the entire 2024 season for head coach Tom Izzo and the Big Ten champion Spartans. The Jackson, Michigan native averaged 5.0 points on 59.8% shooting with 5.5 rebounds, playing 37 games on 17.1 minutes per game last year with zero starts.

This next season, Cooper is projected to be the starting center in place of transfer center Szymon Zapala, who started almost every game last season for Michigan State. Cooper has also gradually improved his stats and production in each of the last three years. He will follow suit once again in 2025-26.

Two areas that Cooper really succeeded in last year were his abilities to dominate in the pick and roll game while also getting to the free throw line and converting fairly often.

The two-man game between Cooper and either freshman guard Jase Richardson or redshirt sophomore floor general Jeremy Fears Jr. was a cheat code in the back half of the season. A quick lob pass to the 6-11 center continued to be the Spartans' bread and butter.

Cooper was also a 74.4% free-throw shooting on just over two attempts per contest. He used his size to draw fouls, finish and-1 opportunities and sink big-time shots at the charity stripe when it counted most. Having a big man that can accurately shoot free throws is such a boost for an offense.

With Cooper's minutes likely to rise exponentially, he will be tasked with battling down low with some of the top post players in the Big Ten for a long period of time. He will be counted on to be the rock in the center of that team, grabbing rebounds, asserting dominance down low, and finishing at the rim.

The Spartans are seeking an even deeper run in the NCAA Tournament and want to reach a Final Four and national championship once again. To do this, Cooper will need to take an even bigger step forward and emerge as a top post player in the country. I am confident he will be able to do so.

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

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