Look: New Michigan State basketball assistant Thomas Kelley mic’d up at practice

Thomas Kelley was on the mic at Michigan State’s first summer practice

After the departure of Dwayne Stephens, Tom Izzo had a void to fill on Michigan State’s bench. After a long and thorough hiring process, Izzo landed on former Spartan Thomas Kelley, who has spent the last four seasons on staff at Western Michigan.

Now, in his new role at MSU, he looks to fill the big shoes left by Dwayne Stephens. On his first day at practice, Kelley brought an energy to the Spartan practice court that was unmatched.

Check out Kelley, who was mic’d up, at Michigan State’s first summer practice:

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Thomas Kelley named as new Michigan State basketball assistant coach

Tom Izzo has his third assistant coach

Tom Izzo has pegged Thomas Kelley to assume the third assistant coach spot that was vacated when Dwayne Stephens took the head coaching position at Western Michigan. Kelley will join Mark Montgomery and Dan Wojcik on Tom Izzo’s staff.

Kelley was one of the first players Izzo recruited as the head coach of the Spartans. Kelley spent 1995-1999 as a member of Michigan State’s basketball program. After his college career, Kelley went to Europe to play professional basketball for the next 15 years.

Upon returning home after his pro basketball career, Kelley joined Michigan State’s staff as a graduate assistant for two seasons before being hired at Western Michigan as an assistant coach, where he spent the last four seasons.

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Possible candidates to replace Dane Fife as assistant coach

Dane Fife has moved on to take an assistant coaching position with the Indiana Hoosiers. Who are possible candidates to replace him at MSU:

Michigan State basketball assistant coach Dane Fife has announced he is leaving the program to take a job on Mike Woodson’s new staff at Indiana.

Coach Fife gave MSU 10 strong years as an assistant coach on staff, as an integral part of the coaching staff and program. Now Tom Izzo will be tasked with replacing Fife on his staff.

It will be interesting to see who Izzo targets for such an important role within the program. A spot on Izzo’s staff will be very attractive to a lot of people in the coaching world.

Let’s take a look at some of the possible candidates to replace Dane Fife: