BYU forward Jaxon Kohler was named to the Naismith Starting 5 – Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List on Thursday morning, according to a October 29 report. The 6-foot-10 forward from American Fork is one of six players from the Big 12 featured on the list.
Kohler joined several other Big 12 players on the preseason list, including Kansas’ Keanu Dawes, TCU’s Xavier Edmonds, Arizona State’s Paulius Murauskas, Texas Tech’s JT Toppin, and Houston’s Joseph Tugler.
In a recent game on Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Kohler was one of four Cougars to score in double figures during an 89-77 victory over UNLV. He recorded 19 points, shooting 8 of 15 from the field and 3 of 7 from 3-point range.
During a previous win against Nebraska, Kohler recorded a double-double in a 72-61 victory. He contributed 10 points, all scored in the second half, and 10 rebounds, four of which were on the offensive glass.
Before transferring to BYU, Kohler played four seasons at Michigan State, appearing in 124 games and making 69 starts. During his time in East Lansing, he averaged 7.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, helping the Spartans reach the Elite Eight in 2025 and the Sweet 16 in 2026.
As a senior at Michigan State, Kohler earned honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades after starting 35 contests. During that season, he averaged a career-high 12.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and shot 50.0 percent from the field. His 312 rebounds in a single season are tied for the 10th most in Michigan State history.
The annual Karl Malone Award recognizes the top power forward in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The award is named after the Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player.
In February, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed to 10, and then to five in March. In late March, five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees to determine the winners.
The winner of the 2027 Malone Award will be presented on a date to be determined, alongside the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
