Tom Izzo is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in basketball history, whether at the college or professional level—his resume speaks for itself.
Since 1995, Izzo has led the Michigan State Spartans, guiding them to 27 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple Big Ten titles, a national championship in 2000, and earning four Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.
Despite his long-standing success in college basketball, Izzo has often been linked to NBA openings over the years. On Tuesday, in a somewhat surprising revelation on “The Dan Patrick Show,” he admitted that he was “seriously” considering leaving Michigan State last season to become the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns.
More news: Lakers’ Luka Doncic Hits Career Milestone in Return From NBA Suspension
More news: Stephen Curry Takes Massive Step Toward Warriors Return Before Play-In
“I’ve had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, looked at one last year with Phoenix – my former player Mat Ishbia,” Izzo said. “That was hard, that was a hard thing to turn down… we talked seriously about it.
“No. 1 I kind of wanted to go with him, and No. 2 I’ve been pretty vocal about it, I don’t like what’s going on in college athletics. By the way neither do 99.8% of the football and basketball coaches in America.”
Izzo, 71, could still pursue an NBA opportunity in the future, but he shows no interest in retiring anytime soon — a point he made clear following Michigan State’s Sweet 16 loss to UConn in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
“It’s sure as hell not going to be now. I’ve got some things to accomplish,” Izzo said last week. “I’m going to make damn sure that — I said a couple years ago that I’ll find a way to get back there. We’ve knocked on the door twice. We haven’t gotten back. We’ll get back.”
More news: Former Raptors President Masai Ujiri Announces Bold New Career Move
