A leader in the sweepstakes for a former Spartans star forward has reportedly emerged.
According to a pair of On3 insiders, BYU has emerged as the "front-runner" for Michigan State transfer forward Jaxon Kohler. Both Joe Tipton and Pete Nakos of On3 reported the notable update on Kohler on Wednesday morning.
Kohler has reportedly also been in contact with Kentucky, Louisville and Kansas. A return to Michigan State appears off the table and no longer an option based on recent comments from Spartans head coach Tom Izzo.
Kohler wrapped up his four-year career with the Spartans this past season, averaging 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game to help lead Michigan State to the Sweet 16. He was not selected in the 2026 NBA Draft but played with the Utah Jazz in the NBA Summer League.
Kohler is from Utah so there was speculation that the Cougars would be a great landing spot for him should he get a fifth year of eligibility and look for a new team. So while it would be tough to see a Spartan Dawg like Kohler putting on another uniform, BYU would be the best possible outcome of these teams. I'm sure many other Spartan fans would agree too.
NEW: One front-runner has emerged for Michigan State transfer forward Jaxon Kohler, @JoeTipton and @PeteNakos report.
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) August 12, 2026
Kentucky, Louisville and BYU are in pursuit.
View: https://t.co/9Nqmx6kaTApic.twitter.com/rLVaxVRy0v
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: One school emerges as 'front-runner' for MSU basketball transfer Jaxon Kohler