Carson Cooper (basketball)
| No. 20 – Memphis Grizzlies | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 9, 2004 |
| Listed height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Michigan State (2022–2026) |
| NBA draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Playing career | 2026–present |
| Career history | |
| 2026–present | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2026–present | →Memphis Hustle |
Carson Cooper (born April 9, 2004) is an American basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans.
Early life and high school
Cooper attended Northwest High School, Ypsi Prep, and IMG Academy.[1] As a senior at IMG, he averaged 12.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.[2] Coming out of high school, Cooper committed to play college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans over offers from schools such as Eastern Michigan, Duquesne, Vermont.[1]
College career
In the first round of the 2023 NCAA tournament, Cooper scored six points in a victory over USC.[3] As a freshman in 2022-23, he averaged 1.6 points and 0.9 rebounds in 30 games.[4] On November 17, 2023, Cooper made his first start where he recorded three points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in a win over Butler.[5] During the 2023-24 season, he appeared in 35 games with eight starts, where he averaged 3.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game.[6] On December 30, 2024, Cooper notched a career-high 13 points along with six rebounds in a win against Western Michigan.[7] In the semifinals of the 2025 Big Ten tournament, he recorded eight points and ten rebounds in a loss to Wisconsin.[8] In the first round of the 2025 NCAA tournament, Cooper recorded six points and nine rebounds in a win over Bryant.[9]
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA draft, Cooper signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.[10]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Michigan State | 30 | 0 | 6.6 | .731 | - | .474 | .9 | .1 | .1 | .3 | 1.6 |
| 2023–24 | Michigan State | 35 | 8 | 17.0 | .533 | - | .633 | 4.4 | .5 | .4 | .7 | 3.4 |
| 2024–25 | Michigan State | 37 | 0 | 17.2 | .598 | .000 | .744 | 5.2 | .6 | .2 | .6 | 5.0 |
| 2025–26 | Michigan State | 35 | 35 | 26.7 | .584 | .400 | .788 | 7.1 | 1.5 | .6 | 1.0 | 11.1 |
| Career | 137 | 43 | 17.2 | .588 | .333 | .726 | 4.5 | .7 | .3 | .6 | 5.4 | |
References
- 1 2 Alter, Marlowe. "Michigan State basketball gets commitment from former Ypsi Prep big man Carson Cooper". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Austin, Kyle (May 16, 2022). "Michigan State opportunity was 'dream come true' for new signee Carson Cooper". MLive.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Faber, Alex. "Michigan State's Carson Cooper, Jaxon Kohler making strides entering sophomore seasons". The Detroit News. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Austin, Kyle (May 16, 2023). "Offseason evaluation: Carson Cooper showed big upside in small role for Michigan State". MLive.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Austin, Kyle (November 18, 2023). "Michigan State lineup change sees Carson Cooper elevated to starter". MLive.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Austin, Kyle (June 3, 2024). "Offseason evaluation: Carson Cooper and an eventful year for Michigan State's centers". MLive.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Minchella, Dominic (December 31, 2024). "MSU's Cooper Drops Career High in Points vs. WMU". Michigan State Spartans on SI. SI.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Champion, Aidan (March 16, 2025). "WATCH: Michigan State's Carson Cooper Speaks After Loss to Wisconsin". Michigan State Spartans on SI. SI.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Champion, Aidan (March 23, 2025). "WATCH: Michigan State's Carson Cooper Speaks After Win Over Bryant". Michigan State Spartans on SI. SI.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Solari, Chris (June 25, 2026). "Kentwood High grad Michael Ajayi signs with Charlotte Hornets". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 2, 2026.