Jaxon Kohler arrives early, shoots alone, and builds confidence during his pre-game ritual
The MSU senior’s pregame process – shaped by injury and persistence – has become a foundation for his growth
The arena is quiet when Jaxon Kohler steps onto the floor.
No music. No crowd. No teammates.
Just a basketball, an empty court, and the echo of the first shot as it drops through the net.
For Kohler, this moment comes before every game away from Breslin Center. Long before the lights brighten and the noise begins, he arrives early and begins working through the same process that has become central to his growth at Michigan State.
Michigan State is often known for hard-nosed, grind-’em-out players. That identity has long been a part of Tom Izzo’s program, and many memorable MSU teams have featured players who embody it. This year’s team is no exception. And perhaps nobody on the current roster represents that ideal better than senior Jaxon Kohler.
For Kohler, that work ethic is visible in the 40 minutes between the opening tip and the final whistle. But his effort is not confined to the court. The work begins long before the game starts, built into a rhythm of preparation.
It is not uncommon for an athlete – at any level – to have a set of pregame rituals. A favorite meal in their college town, a meditation, a lucky sign in the locker room, a phone call to a loved one. Countless players rely on these habits, and fans sometimes catch glimpses of them when watching their teams play at home.
Kohler prioritizes consistency in his preparation. That consistency travels with him whether the Spartans take the floor at the Breslin Center, energized by the Izzone, or on the road in hostile arenas across the country. That ritual – that consistency – may be part of what has fueled Kohler’s recent success heading into tournament play.
In his last two road contests, Kohler has scored 44 points and grabbed 21 rebounds. That is the kind of production the Spartans could build on as they travel farther from East Lansing in March – the type that can help sustain a postseason run.
For Kohler, the approach is the same for every road game: arrive early, step onto the empty court, and start putting up shots. It is a quiet process – just Kohler, a ball, and the steady rhythm of repetition. Repetition that has become central to his development as a player.
“Yeah, I do that for every road game,” Kohler said of arriving early to shoot before anyone else takes the floor.
For him, it is simply the expectation.
The habit began during one of the most difficult stretches of Kohler’s career. After suffering an injury early in his time at Michigan State, the forward searched for a way to catch back up – both physically and mentally – with his teammates and with the standards he had set for himself.
“After my injury, coming back,” Kohler said. “I had to find a way to catch up to my team and to my expectations in my sophomore year.”
During a road trip to Purdue that season, Kohler noticed something that stuck with him. Before most players had even entered the gym, the Boilermakers center, Zach Edey, was already on the court working through his own preparation.
“I noticed Zach – his pregame routine,” Kohler said. “He was just shooting hook shots, hook shots, hook shots before anyone else was on the court.”
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