Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo: It Was ‘Hard’ Turning Down Suns Job in 2025

Tom Izzo is the Michigan State Spartans, but did he almost leave East Lansing for the NBA last year? “I’ve had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, and I looked at one last year with [the] Phoenix [Suns],” Izzo revealed in a Wednesday appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.” “My former player, [Suns owner] Mat Ishbia, that was a hard thing to turn down because, No. 1, I kind of wanted to go with him … We talked seriously about it, let’s say that. And then, No. 2, I’ve been pretty vocal about it: I don’t like what’s going on in college athletics. But, by the way, neither do 99.8% of the football and basketball coaches in America. “I think the kids are going to still find out before it’s done that it’s not best for them, either. But, in the meantime, you got to do what you got to do.” UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley revealed last week on “The Dan Patrick Show” that he consulted with Izzo in 2024 when Hurley had discussions with the Los Angeles Lakers about their head-coaching vacancy, which Hurley ultimately turned down. Izzo said in the aforementioned interview he told Hurley that he “didn’t want to lose him in college basketball” because he’s “so good” for the sport but also stated they “got to keep an eye on what’s happening” in their “profession.” Of course, Izzo’s Spartans lost to Hurley’s Huskies in the Sweet 16 round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament last week. It ended a 2025-26 season that saw Michigan State go 27-8 overall and 15-5 in Big Ten play, good for fourth in the conference. [More Hurley: UConn Men’s Basketball Hoping For Championship Transfer Magic Once Again] As for what’s next for the 71-year-old Izzo, the Michigan State coach expressed that he has no plans to retire in the near future, saying he’s focused on “trying to win a national championship.” Regarding the connection to the Suns, Ishbia played for Izzo at Michigan State for three seasons (1999-2000 season to 2001-02 season), including for the Spartans’ 1999-2000 national title team. The Suns ended up hiring former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott as their head coach last summer, marking the franchise’s third coaching hire in as many years (Frank Vogel, Mike Budenholzer and Ott). This season, Phoenix is 42-34, good for the seventh seed in the Western Conference.