What is Michigan State getting with Carson Cooper?

I walked out of church today to a text message that Carson Cooper had committed to Michigan State. This commitment caught many by surprise, so On3 wants to explore what Cooper could bring to Spartan Nation.

Cooper is originally from Jackson, Michigan, about 45 minutes away from East Lansing. He played his senior year at Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy.

“I run the floor hard,” Cooper told On3. “My athleticism and mobility allow me to stretch the floor or get in the post. I can play to the mismatch on the floor. I watch a lot of Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic; they are so versatile and can do anything their team needs.”

In February, the late-bloomer had no high-major offers. He had a lot of mid-major programs that took notice. Cooper took official visits to Vermont, Eastern Michigan, and Duquesne.

Initially, the plan was for Cooper to stay at IMG Academy as a part of the 2023 class. However, Michigan State decided to bring him in as a part of the high school 2022 class and redshirt him. The Spartans checked all the boxes for what Cooper was looking for in a program.

“I wanted to go to a program with good guys around it,” Cooper said. “I wanted to join winners; winning is big for me. Coaching is big, a staff who has developed pros and can help me develop to be the best player I can be.”

On3’s take

Carson Cooper is a typical late-bloomer. Still young for his grade, his steps over the past year have been immense. At 6-foot-10, he has good length and natural mobility. Cooper runs the floor with a purpose, and he is an active rebounder. While the lateral quickness with being a question, the vertical pop will not be. As Cooper developed physically over the last year, his confidence grew immensely. Cooper can stretch the floor, with pick and pop range extending beyond the three-point arc. He is still young, and the further development he makes during his redshirt year will provide even more growth. Cooper fits an archetype that has had a lot of success under Tom Izzo.