What fuels a coaching legend like Tom Izzo? Wins are of course a part, but it is also the burning desire to prove doubters wrong, bring about change however he can, and the consistent love from the fans. Now 70 years old, the legendary Michigan State coach shows no signs of slowing down. He’s still that fiery figure, berating his players for every little mistake pushing them to the edge with his tough love. And that’s exactly why fans, and even fellow legends like Charles Barkley, can’t get enough of him. “One of the reasons Tom Izzo is one of my favorite coaches is he coaches his team,” Barkley once said, perfectly capturing the essence of what makes Izzo so special!

Entering his 30th season at the helm of Michigan State, there were whispers about Tom Izzo’s retirement after his team had suffered three straight seasons with 13 or more losses. And then turning 70 on January 30th—an age when many coaching legends step away—only fueled the conversation. In a sport undergoing rapid changes and with Michigan State struggling to become a title contender for several years now, questions about his future were inevitable. However, the Hall of Fame coach was quick to put to rest any retirement rumors.

In an interview with Seth Davis of Hoops HQ, Tom Izzo shut down any retirement talk with his signature fiery spirit, “I’m too stubborn to go out the door for the wrong reasons….I think I still have the fire. I still think I have the ability to reach my players”. Citing another reason why he would not want to retire any sooner than he has, he said, “The advantage of being in a college atmosphere is that you’re around so many vibrant young kids all the time. I feel better than I felt probably in a lot of years. I mean, I don’t feel 70. I always thought age was how you act and how healthy you are. Well, I’m healthy and I still act like an idiot” 

Also, when your team is leading a conference which it wasn’t supposed to before the beginning of this season, why retire right? Spartans are leading the Big Ten conference with a 13-3 record and are fresh off a win against their rival, the Wolverines. They have also gained 6 places in the latest AP ranking and are now ranked 8th in the country. Tom Izzo has no reason to walk away. This is exactly the kind of challenge that fuels his fire.

Izzo does not want to make the same mistake some coaches have made by staying a year or two past their prime. He confirmed that he will retire when the time is right, saying, “I’m gonna make sure I don’t do what I’ve seen a lot of people do, which is go a year or two too long,” “I don’t need the money. I don’t live a lavish lifestyle at all. So that’s not even a factor. I am not going to cheat the program. I am not going to cheat the players. The day I don’t want to take a redeye or I don’t want to take the guys to my beach house, I’m out, okay? I really believe that. But it ain’t right now.”  

Izzo’s devotion to the game is undeniable. Despite tempting offers from NBA teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, the Hall of Famer chose to remain a Spartan for life. For him, it has never been about the money, it has always been about the passion. Basketball runs through his veins, and he’s not just coaching for the wins, he’s coaching because he lives and breathes the game.

Tom Izzo’s still got the magic. Despite the years piling up, he’s still connecting with his players on a deep level. And that’s the secret sauce to his enduring success. “I’ve said this since the day I got in. I’m not the best rebounding coach, I’m not the best defensive coach or this coach or that coach. I’m the best time-spending coach,” he said. This approach has also influenced his limited involvement with USA Basketball over the years, unlike many of his peers. Izzo expressed his preference for using his time to focus on his own players, particularly during the summer months when he can be with them in a more relaxed setting, such as his beach house.

Post his team’s 86-74 win over the Ducks in early Feb, the Spartans had rebounded with a much-needed victory after a tough West Coast swing that saw them drop consecutive games to USC and UCLA. This win also etched his name alongside Bob Knight’s Big Ten benchmark of 353 victories. That Saturday, Izzo choked with tears, as he said, “I don’t give a f— about the first half. But I do care about all of you for giving me 30 great years“.

The love between the Spartans and their fans is too discernible to ignore. And perhaps, that’s what keeps Izzo going on most days when his frustration with the NCAA system reaches a boiling point.

Tom Izzo calls the NCAA committees useless

Ever since the NIL and transfer portal revolutionized college basketball, Tom Izzo has been a vocal critic, constantly voicing his concerns about how these changes are reshaping the game. But his frustrations reached their peak when Joey Hauser’s waiver appeal was rejected, leading Izzo to take the drastic step of leaving the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Since that move, according to Hoops HQ, Izzo has been part of a loosely organized group of elite coaches, including legends like Krzyzewski, Wright, and Mark Few, who met weekly over Zoom with Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s Vice President for Men’s Basketball. Their discussions were meant to shape the future of college hoops, but despite the time and energy they invested, the initiatives they pushed for had little to no impact on actual decision-making, which obviously led to Izzo deciding to leave the committee.

Now, the coach has taken it upon himself to bring about changes from within his program instead of wasting his energy fighting the system. In the same interview he revealed his decision to leave and why he won’t be ever seen in any NCAA committee again, “I decided last year that I didn’t want to be on any more committees because they were useless,”

Well, for now, Izzo is focused on the present, and Spartan fans can rest easy knowing that their beloved coach is still leading the charge.