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04/01 17:05 CDT Michigan State's Tom Izzo says he had serious talks last year
about coaching NBA's Phoenix Suns
Michigan State's Tom Izzo says he had serious talks last year about coaching
NBA's Phoenix Suns
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) --- Michigan State's Tom Izzo said he considered
coaching the Phoenix Suns after discussing the possibility last year with one
of his former players, Mat Ishbia, who owns the NBA team.
"We talked seriously about it," Izzo said Wednesday on "The Dan Patrick Show,"
during a virtual interview from his office on campus.
The 71-year-old Hall of Fame coach chose to lead the Spartans for a 31st season
and extended his record of reaching 28 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. They were
eliminated by Connecticut in the Sweet 16.
Izzo has turned down multiple opportunities to coach in the NBA, including with
Cleveland and Atlanta. Izzo said last week that Huskies coach Dan Hurley asked
him for advice after the Los Angeles Lakers offered him a $70 million, six-year
contract in 2024.
Ishiba, a walk-on guard on Izzo's national championship team in 2000, hired
former Michigan State video coordinator Jordan Ott to coach the Suns this
season. Ishiba also hired a former Spartans assistant, Brian Gregory, to be the
team's general manager and gave former teammate Mateen Cleaves a job in player
development.
Phoenix is in a position to make the playoffs with Ott on the bench after it
was 10 games under .500 under coach Mike Budenholzer in his only season with
the franchise.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
