Michigan State men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said he “talked seriously” with Phoenix Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia about the franchise’s head coaching opening last summer.
Izzo, one of the longest-tenured coaches in college basketball, described the conversations as legitimate discussions regarding the NBA opportunity before Phoenix made its final decision.
Phoenix’s coaching decision
The Suns ultimately hired Jordan Ott to lead the team, ending the process that included discussions with Izzo. Izzo remains at Michigan State, where he has been the face of the Spartans’ program for decades.
Izzo’s comments provide a rare look into how close the college coaching icon came to pursuing an NBA head coaching role, particularly with an organization led by Ishbia, a Michigan State alumnus.