Earlier this week, Jaxon Kohler committed to BYU. His addition takes the Cougars to another level with his skill set, experience, and positional versatility.
The big man spent the past four seasons at Michigan State and his game grew with him. Last year, he averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 39% from three.
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Let’s take a closer look at what Kohler’s impact in Provo could be this upcoming season.
Shooting Profile and Play Style
FG% (left), FGA% (right) | CBB Analytics
College basketball has a good number of bigs that can rebound well, but many of them don’t have much of an offensive game. That’s where Kohler stands out. He can score in the paint, the midrange, and the perimeter, which is pretty rare for a big, especially at this level.
Last season, his three-point attempt rate of 45.5% ranked in the 77th percentile nationally, meaning almost half of his field goal attempts came from beyond the arc. Most of his threes were above-the-break, rarely taking any shots from the corners.
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He is also comfortable putting the ball on the floor and working in the paint. He shot an impressive 68.7% at the rim and 61.1% in the paint. When he’s playing down low, he has great footwork and physicality that allow him to get by his defenders and will his way to the basket.
As a junior, nearly 65% of his field attempts came at the rim and in the paint. However, as a senior, that attempt rate dropped to around 42% as Kohler expanded his game further beyond the arc. Only 25.3% of his attempts came at the rim. That will likely change at BYU since he’s expected to play more time at center when he’s on the floor. We should see him attacking the basket more often.
Kohler didn’t spend as much time in the midrange last season (12.8% of his field goal attempts) but still shot 38.1% there, which ranked in the 92nd percentile.
Looking at his shot selection overall, Kohler still took more twos than threes. He averaged 5.1 two-point attempts per game compared to 3.4 three-point attempts. Throughout his career, he has played as a back-to-basket and stretch big, giving him a unique and versatile skill set for a college big man.
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Efficiency and Offensive Production
College basketball has a good number of bigs that can rebound well, but many of them don’t have much of an offensive game. That’s where Kohler stands out. His 61.9% true shooting percentage ranked in the 78th percentile and his 58.8% effective field goal percentage was in the 76th percentile.
What makes these numbers more impressive is that Kohler had a 21.1% usage rate (74th percentile). He had a notable role in Michigan State’s offense. For context, Foussenyi Traore had a 22.5% usage rate his final year at BYU, while Keba Keita’s usage rate last season was just 11.7%. Kohler should feature more prominently in BYU’s offense this upcoming year.
In 17 Quad 1 games last season, Kohler averaged 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and shot 45.5% (80-176) from the field and 37.5% (30-80) from three. He had few solid performances against these top teams:
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14 points and 7 rebounds vs Duke
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23 points and 8 rebounds vs Michigan
In three games during the NCAA Tournament, Kohler averaged 11.3 points and 7.7 rebounds.
One interesting area for Kohler is his free throwing shooting. He shot a scorching 86.9% from the charity stripe last season (97th percentile). However, his free throw attempt rate was just 18.6% (10th percentile). On the year, he was 53-61 at the line.
For a player as physical as Kohler is in the paint, he doesn’t get to the line as much as you would expect, but when he does, he’s automatic. With the expectation that he’ll feature a bit more at the rim for BYU, his free throw attempt rate should grow. Regardless, the Cougars can count on Kohler when needed to make free throws.
An underrated part of Kohler’s game is his passing. He had at least two assists in 15 games last season and three assists in four games.
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When he posts up in the paint, he has good vision for his size and can find the open man on the perimeter to kick out for threes. Kohler is also good at picking out his teammates slashing to the basket. He is not the kind of big who will always go up with the ball when he has it in the paint. He makes good reads and tries to focus on making the right play instead of forcing looks at the rim.
Rebounding and Defensive Impact
Rebounding is where Kohler truly separates himself. Last season, he ranked 37th nationally in rebounds per game, 21st in total rebounds, 17th in total defensive rebounds, and 43rd in total offensive rebounds. He also had 12 double-doubles, tied for 28th-most in the country. He was the leading rebounder on the floor in 17 games, good for 25th nationally.
Kohler had a 25% defensive rebounding percentage (97th percentile) and a 12.8% offensive rebounding percentage (89th percentile). He had a career-high 18 rebounds against San Jose State this past season and posted 14 games with double-digit rebounds. He also had three games with 15+ rebounds during the year.
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Defensively, Kohler is not considered an elite rim protector. He averaged 0.7 blocks last season. However, he is very physical and is an above average defender. He is not the kind of big that can guard all positions but manages to hold his own fairly well in the paint. This will likely be an area Kohler is focused on in Provo.
One of the most intriguing stats out there is Kohler’s on/off numbers at Michigan State last season. The Spartans had a net rating of 21.8 with Kohler on the floor compared to just 3.0 when he sat. That’s an 18.8-point swing that ranked in the 95th percentile.
Michigan State’s defensive rating improved by 11.3 points per 100 possessions with Kohler on the court and their offensive rebounding rate went up nearly five points.
Fit in BYU’s System
Kevin Young has put together an exciting roster. The team is filled with three-point shooters, and with the addition of Kohler, it gives BYU perimeter options at every single position.
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Kohler will help the Cougars space the floor, freeing up the lane for guys like Rob Wright, Collin Chandler, and Bruce Branch to drive into the paint. He should have more open looks on the perimeter than he’s ever had before.
Young hasn’t had a center who could shoot from beyond the arc in his time with the program, so he’ll look to take advantage of that this upcoming season.
One of the top areas Kohler will be relied on is rebounding. He should have a significant impact on the boards and help BYU control the glass on both ends of the floor.
In addition to his perimeter shooting and rebounding, Kohler will help bring a strong scoring presence in the post. He will be expected to attack the rim and get to the line more often. On the flip side, if he can take strides defensively, he should be able to play a bigger role as a rim protector as well.
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With BYU’s roster nearly complete, it will be fun to watch how Young utilizes one of the most productive and skilled bigs in college basketball.
Today’s best reads
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/byu as Scouting Report: BYU Basketball Transfer Jaxon Kohler.
