During the last few years, Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jay Wright, Jim Boeheim, Tony Bennett, Bruce Pearl, Jim Larranaga and Mike Brey have all left the sidelines. While no one can get inside the mind of any of these respected ex-college basketball head coaches, many fans believe the current state of the NCAA has contributed to these departures, to at least some degree. Some of them have publicly denounced this Name Image Likeness/transfer portal era, finding it difficult to navigate such unpredictable conditions. But Tom Izzo endures.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and longtime Michigan state HC is still flourishing amid this drastically different college hoops landscape. He has figured out how to adapt while also maintaining a strong sense of continuity in his program. The result is an unmistakable identity, and a perennial NCAA Tournament team.
“Homegrown people that are playing for the name on the front of their jersey because they know the name on the front of their jersey,” Izzo said, per reporter Cole Parke, following the Spartans' 83-66 victory versus Kentucky on Tuesday. “People that care about the place they're at.”
Tom Izzo has built something special at Michigan State
The 2000 national champion is not easy to play for, but he instills a great sense of pride and loyalty within most of his players. Recruiting young men who will buy into an established culture and stick around when other opportunities come knocking or adversity creeps in is the only way to truly overcome the NIL/transfer portal effect.
Tom Izzo believes he has the right mix of homegrown talent and impactful newcomers to help Michigan State basketball contend for a title this season. The squad is certainly looking sharp to begin the year, making a strong statement versus Kentucky in the annual Champions Classic.
Senior Jaxon Kohler and junior Jeremy Fears Jr., both of whom have spent the entirety of their college careers in East Lansing, recorded a game-high 20 points and 13 assists, respectively. Kur Teng, Jesse McCulloch and Cam Ward, all of whom figure to comprise a key part of the Spartans' future, combined for 31 of the team's 34 bench points. Michigan State is in good hands.
The program is not afraid of change, however. After failing to eclipse 30 percent 3-point shooting in its first three games of the campaign, Izzo's group knocked down 11 of its 22 attempts from distance inside Madison Square Garden. If Michigan State (4-0) can continue to evolve while still doing the things that make it, well, Michigan State, then the legendary head coach could be celebrating more milestones before season's end.
