Tom Izzo, the head coach of Michigan State Spartans, almost left for the NBA last year. He mentioned in an interview on The Dan Patrick Show that he considered an offer from the Phoenix Suns.

“I’ve had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, and I looked at one last year with [the] Phoenix [Suns],” Izzo shared. “That was a hard thing to turn down because, No. 1, I kind of wanted to go with him… And then, No. 2, I’ve been pretty vocal about what’s going on in college athletics.”

Izzo advised Dan Hurley when he was in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024, expressing his desire to keep Hurley in college basketball due to his positive impact on the sport.

Unfortunately for Izzo, his Spartans were defeated by Hurley’s Huskies during the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament, concluding a 27-8 season.

As for Izzo’s future, he remains focused on winning a national championship and has no plans to retire soon. He also noted that his former player, Ishbia, played a critical role during this time, playing alongside him on the Spartans’ national title team back in 1999-2000. The Suns opted for Jordan Ott as their head coach last summer, and they currently hold a 42-34 record, ranking them seventh in the Western Conference.