Michigan State basketball: Jaxon Kohler could return sooner rather than later

Michigan State basketball could soon be getting a big piece to the puzzle back in sophomore Jaxon Kohler.

As Michigan State basketball took the court this past weekend in wins against Butler and Alcorn State, some exciting news was released about Jaxon Kohler. He has been out all season with a foot injury. That, however, might be changing soon.

Quotes about a potential return from Jaxon Kohler

Two things were said this weekend regarding the status of Kohler and his injury. The first was from Tom Izzo who said Kohler’s is “a couple weeks away” from returning. It was also reported that Jaxon is out of his walking boot, which is a huge step forward in his recovery.

Days later, Matt Steigenga, a member of the Michigan State basketball radio broadcast, said that he spoke with Kohler who said himself that he “could be ready to get back on the court in a week.” These two timelines are a few weeks off, so I’d probably side with Izzo’s timeline over Jaxon’s. At the end of the day, it is Izzo’s decision when he returns, and I think it’s likely that Izzo will wait as long as possible to make sure Kohler is 100 percent.

It’s important to note that this timeframe likely isn’t a return to in-game action. I think it’s obvious that Kohler will need some practice time before we see him in a game. That will be good for Jaxon to get his feet back under him (no pun intended) and figure out his role with this team. So going off what Izzo said, it could be two weeks before he starts practicing then another week and a half before we see him in a game. So my guess is that it’ll be another 3.5-4 weeks before we see Kohler in a game.

The importance of getting Kohler back

In my opinion, I think it’s somewhat obvious how important Kohler’s return is. Our post play has not been Michigan State’s strong point this season. Mady Sissoko has had a slow start to the season. Carson Cooper has played well so far, but we can’t rely on him alone. I also don’t think Cooper has the polished offensive game to get a bucket on his own. That’s where Jaxon comes into play.

One of Jaxon’s best attributes is his offensive game. He is the player, along with Malik Hall, that we can throw the ball to in the post and expect them to create their own shot. Kohler’s footwork might be the best on the team, and that is something we are missing down low this season.

Kohler’s defense and rebounding ability are a little subpar for my liking. But we can make up for that in other ways with our lineups. If MSU’s opponent has a good center, Cooper or Mady may be a better option. The Spartans’ guards and forwards are also solid rebounders, so that makes up for Kohler’s weakness in that aspect.

Jaxon Kohler returning will be a welcomed site for Spartan fans. Having our team at full strength will be amazing, especially at the position in which MSU needs it most. Let’s just hope this is the only major injury we have to deal with this year.