Legendary Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo revealed that he came close to leaving college basketball last year after having substantial conversations about taking the helm of the Phoenix Suns.
During a Wednesday appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” from his campus office, the 71-year-old coaching icon confirmed the discussions were meaningful. “We talked seriously about it,” Izzo stated during the virtual interview.
Instead of making the leap to professional basketball, Izzo decided to continue his remarkable tenure with the Spartans, marking his 31st season at the helm. His decision helped extend his impressive streak of 28 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, though this year’s run ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Connecticut.
This isn’t the first time Izzo has declined NBA opportunities, having previously passed on coaching positions with Cleveland and Atlanta. Just last week, he mentioned that UConn’s Dan Hurley sought his guidance after the Los Angeles Lakers presented Hurley with a six-year, $70 million offer in 2024.
The Phoenix connection runs deep through Izzo’s Michigan State network. Team owner Mat Ishbia, who played as a walk-on guard for Izzo’s 2000 national championship squad, has filled key Suns positions with former Spartans personnel. Ishbia brought in Jordan Ott, a former Michigan State video coordinator, as the team’s current head coach. He also appointed former Spartans assistant Brian Gregory as general manager and gave former teammate Mateen Cleaves a role in player development.
Under Ott’s leadership, Phoenix has positioned itself for a potential playoff run, a significant improvement from the team’s struggles under Mike Budenholzer, who finished 10 games below .500 in his lone season with the franchise.
