Magic Johnson is all-in on Michigan State forward Coen Carr.

In an interview with Ian Kress, the Hall of Famer praised the sophomore’s athleticism, calling him “the best athlete in the country.”

Carr averaged 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in the 2024–25 season, appearing in 37 games and starting once. He posted a 61.1% field goal percentage while shooting 33.3% from three in limited attempts.

Johnson believes Carr’s physical gifts separate him from nearly everyone in the sport. “There’s no better athlete in the country first,” Johnson said. “Then he’s big. So people don’t realize he’s big and strong too.”

Johnson emphasized that Carr’s development now goes beyond raw tools. “What I like about him now is that he’s being smarter at the game. Before when he came in, he was just an athlete. Not anymore. He’s playing great defense, he’s playing great help defense,” he said.

Carr, known for his high-flying dunks, gained national attention during his freshman year. Despite averaging only 3.1 points per game in 11.6 minutes, his vertical explosion quickly went viral.

According to Johnson, Carr’s dunking ability stands out even among NBA talent. “Very few in the NBA can even dunk on that level. Probably Anthony Edwards and one or two other guys. But that’s it. He can win the Dunk Contest in the NBA as a college player.”

Johnson also said Carr has become more complete, and he expects a breakout year from the 6-foot-6 forward in 2025–26. “The more minutes and the more time that coach Izzo gave him, the better he got. I think this is going to be his coming out year this year.”

Though Carr’s role was still growing this past season, he posted significant improvement across the board, more than doubling his scoring output while raising his rebounding and efficiency metrics.

“If he gets that 15-foot jumpshot down,” Johnson added, “he could be the best player in the nation or one of the top five or six guys.”

Carr’s sophomore campaign closed with a 70.1% free throw mark and a noticeable jump in offensive polish. As he heads into his junior season, expectations are rising in East Lansing.