Category: Tom Izzo

Michigan State basketball offers forward Braden Huff

Illinois PF Braden Huff earns an MSU offer

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Tom Izzo has yet to receive a commitment for his 2022 recruiting class. The MSU head man has been seen at a plethora of AAU tournaments in the recent weeks, trying to catch up in recruiting.

One kid that Izzo has seen a lot of is Braden Huff, a forward from Carol Stream, Illinois. Huff is AAU teammates with Jaden Schutt, another MSU top target.

Izzo has been spotted courtside at several of their games in recent weeks, and the result of it was an offer to Braden Huff.

Michigan State joins Creighton, DePaul, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin, in offering Huff.

Huff has taken official visits to Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech.

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Tom Izzo sits courtside to watch a trio of MSU recruiting targets

Tom Izzo is back on the recruiting trail

The AAU basketball season is in full swing, and it is now the perfect opportunity for many college coaches to get out and start scouting. Tom Izzo has done exactly that, making recruiting a priority this month of July.

Michigan State will look to fill out their 2022 recruiting class very soon, as well as getting a start on the very important 2023 class.

After a year without scouting, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coaches have a lot of work to make up ground when it comes to scouting.

Tom Izzo is doing his part in making up the ground.

Tom Izzo sits courtside to watch a trio of MSU recruiting targets

Tom Izzo is back on the recruiting trail

The AAU basketball season is in full swing, and it is now the perfect opportunity for many college coaches to get out and start scouting. Tom Izzo has done exactly that, making recruiting a priority this month of July.

Michigan State will look to fill out their 2022 recruiting class very soon, as well as getting a start on the very important 2023 class.

After a year without scouting, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, coaches have a lot of work to make up ground when it comes to scouting.

Tom Izzo is doing his part in making up the ground.

LOOK: MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo spotted with PGA legend

Tom Izzo was spotted with a PGA tour legend

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With the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit looming this weekend, a lot of celebrity and pro-am events take place in the days leading up to it.

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo is known as an avid golfer and has been seen at similar events before.

At Wednesday’s event at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Izzo was spotted walking with 2021 PGA Championship winner and PGA legend Phil Mickelson.

Two legends of their own sports being seen together is always cool to see. Look for yourself here:

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Tom Izzo tees off with Phil Mickelson at Area 313 Celebrity Scramble

Tom Izzo tees off with Phil Mickelson at Area 313 Celebrity Scramble

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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo was able to spend the day at the Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic Celebrity Scramble on Tuesday. Izzo was able to team up with professional golfer Phil Mickelson.

The celebrity scramble was held in place of the Rocket Mortgage Classic being held there this weekend. This will be the third straight year of this tournament being held on the PGA Tour schedule.

Nate Lashley won the event in 2019 and Bryson DeChambeau won the event in 2020. Mickelson most recently won the PGA Championship last month and will look to add another trophy to his cabinet this weekend.

You can watch the video of Tom Izzo teeing off below:

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10 bucket list non-conference match-ups and venues for Michigan State basketball

Spartans Wire compiled their 10 bucket list non-conference match-ups and venues we’d love for Michigan State to schedule at some point in the future.

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Michigan State and Tom Izzo have done a good job at keeping things fun and challenging with non-conference match-ups year after year. That will be no different this upcoming season.

It was announced earlier this week that Michigan State will travel to Hinkle Fieldhouse to play Butler on Nov. 17 as part of the Gavitt Games. For most college basketball fans (and myself), Hinkle Fieldhouse is a bucket list venue so I’m very excited about this match-up and hope to even travel down to Indianapolis for the game.

This announcement got me thinking — and also Michigan State Associate Athletic Director Kevin Pauga — of who else should the Spartans schedule at some point to cross off some of those other bucket list venues or opponents. In no particular order, here’s my list of 10 bucket list non-conference match-ups and venues I’d love for Michigan State to schedule at some point in the future:

WATCH: Tom Izzo interviewed outside Fiserv Forum before Bucks-Nets Game Six

Tom Izzo was interviewed by the local NBC station outside Fiserv Forum before the Bucks win over the Nets.

Bryn Forbes has had something of a coming out during these NBA playoffs as the country has been able to watch his flame-throwing ways for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he had his coach in town last night to watch him and his Bucks push the Brooklyn Nets to a Game Seven.

Tom Izzo made the trip to the game with his son (and MSU basketball player) Steven for his birthday. While Forbes didn’t have a great game, Izzo did speak to Brandon Kinnard of NBC 26 about Forbes’ growth:

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Tom Izzo has no intentions of retiring anytime soon

With the recent announcements of legendary head coaches retiring, people have started to wonder if Izzo is going to retire soon as well.

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With the recent announcements of legendary head coaches Lon Kruger, Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski retiring, people have started to wonder if Tom Izzo is also on his way out at MSU. Izzo put that to bed as he said he has “no intentions” to retire.

Izzo noted that he does not plan on following his compadres footsteps into retirement. He acknowledged his worry for the future of college basketball due to the new transfer rules. Kruger and Williams admitted that the sport’s changes have played a little role in their decision to retire.

Izzo does not like how the transfer rule changes have made it easier for players to leave their current school and immediately play at the next. He brings up how this could have wide-ranging consequences on academics, player development, fan experience and more. It may also drop the number of three- and four-year players.

Izzo did say that once the “annoyance level supersedes the enjoyment then it’s time to go.”

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3 quick takeaways from Tom Izzo’s radio appearance Wednesday

Three quick takeaways from Tom Izzo’s radio appearance on Wednesday morning, outlining how his team has developed this summer.

Tom Izzo spent part of his Wednesday morning making an appearance on the 97.1 the Ticket’s morning show.

With Michigan State basketball starting summer practice this week, it is time to start making strides for the upcoming season. There was a lot to digest for coach Izzo as he starts preparing for the 2021-22 campaign.

While on the radio show, Izzo was able to give a small peek into the program and how things have progressed so far in the teams’ development.

Here are three quick takeaways from Izzo’s radio appearance:

Izzo hints at Michigan State hosting Duke, playing Villanova next season

It appears Michigan State will once again have a loaded non-conference schedule next season.

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It appears Michigan State will once again have a loaded non-conference schedule next season.

Head coach Tom Izzo has historically tested his squad with a tough non-conference schedule and next year appears to be no different based on comments from an interview on Tuesday. Izzo said on “The Audrey Dahlgren Show” that the Spartans “may have” match-ups with Duke and Villanova this next season — with the game against the Blue Devils being at home.

Here’s a pair of tweets from MLive’s Kyle Austin with more insight on Izzo’s comments:

As pointed out by Austin in the tweets above, it would make sense for the Spartans to play Duke at home as part of their trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium last year. Whether that’s part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, though, is unknown.

The Spartans’ match-up with Villanova as part of the Gavitt Games would also make a ton of sense. Michigan State played at Seton Hall two years ago in their last Gavitt Games match-up so that could suggest the Wildcats would also come to the Breslin Center this year.

Michigan State is already scheduled to play Kansas in the Champions Classic this season and will participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis — which includes Baylor, UConn, Syracuse, Arizona State, Auburn, Loyola Chicago and VCU. So it’s safe to say the Spartans will have a loaded non-conference slate if Duke and Villanova are in fact added to the schedule this year.

Keep an eye out for a more formal announcement on the 2021-22 schedule, but Michigan State fans should definitely be excited about what this upcoming season’s slate will feature.

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