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For 30 years, Tom Izzo has built Michigan State basketball into a national juggernaut.
In that time, he's collected a national championship (2000), eight Final Four appearances, and 11 trips to the Elite Eight — including one in 2025.
Izzo, now 70 years old and showing no signs of slowing down, has made a career out of maximizing his players, especially the under-the-radar types.
You may have heard of Draymond Green.
Originally a three-star recruit from Saginaw, Michigan, Green arrived in East Lansing and fought for everything he earned.
He wasn’t supposed to be the guy, until he stepped on the floor and decided otherwise.
Unlike many of today’s top prospects, Green stayed all four years at his alma mater — and those four years helped him blossom into an all-time Spartan great.
Along the way, he racked up accolades: Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, and 2012 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In his final season donning the green and white, he led Michigan State to the Sweet 16 and nearly averaged a double-double.
To cap it off, his No. 23 jersey is retired — permanently etched into Michigan State history.
Despite his college dominance, Green wasn’t a coveted NBA prospect. In fact, staying all four years often hurts your draft stock in today’s NBA.
But Green didn’t let that narrative define him. Instead, he rewrote it.
He was selected 35th overall in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. His first two seasons were relatively quiet — a rotation piece showing flashes but not yet a focal point.
That changed quickly.
In 2014-15, Green became a breakout star, helping Golden State capture its first NBA title in 40 years.
And it didn’t stop there.
He became a key part of the Warriors dynasty, winning four NBA championships, making four All-Star teams, capturing the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, leading the NBA in steals that same season, and earning five All-Defensive Team nods.
USA Basketball took notice too, as Green helped Team USA win Olympic gold in 2016 and 2020.
Not bad for a three-star recruit from Saginaw.
Green's career isn’t done just yet, though he’ll be 35 by the time the 2025-26 season tips off, so the Hall of Fame question is becoming real.
His numbers won’t wow you: 8.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks per game. But his impact has always transcended the box score.
In 2024, defensive ace Michael Cooper was inducted into the Hall of Fame with a career line that’s arguably less impressive than Green’s. So if the bar is set there, it’s hard to argue Green doesn’t deserve the nod.
Sure, he’s rubbed people the wrong way — on the court and off — but you can’t argue the results.
Draymond Green played his role to perfection, and when his career is over, don’t be surprised if the next chapter includes a speech in Springfield.
Stay up to date on all your Michigan State alumni news when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and feel free to share your thoughts when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
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More must-reads:
- Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
- Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Buzz Williams Breaks Silence on Maryland Job Chaos — But Not How You’d Expect
In a recent Q A with The Baltimore Sun, new Maryland men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams made one thing clear — he didn’t come to College Park to clean up a mess. He came to build something new. When asked about the turmoil surrounding the program following Kevin Willard’s sudden departure, Williams offered a surprising response: “Honestly, I didn’t know any of it because we were playing, too. And [as a] typical coach, you’re so into your own team and how can you try to win the next game? Some of the things that were going on, I never heard about them until [university president] Dr. [Darryll J.] Pines introduced himself and began to explain some of it, and I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know.’” That level of detachment isn’t ignorance. It’s a reflection of just how all-consuming the coaching grind really is. Williams wasn’t dodging the noise. He just didn’t hear it. In his mind, Maryland wasn’t a fixer-upper, it was a high-major job with real upside. Whether that perspective comes off as hyper focused or a little too tunnel vision is up for debate. But what it shows os that coach Williams isn’t swayed by headlines or perception. He’s moved by fit, infrastructure, and the chance to build something real. While others try to dissect dysfunction, Williams is focused on the foundation. He’s not concerned with the noise. He’s too busy building forward.
Nick Saban responds to speculation about coaching return amid NFL rumors
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.
Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'
Are NBA players underpaid? Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry argues yes. The greatest shooter in NBA history said Thursday on Complex’s “360 With Speedy” that because the league’s current CBA doesn’t allow for current players to invest in league and team equity, players are leaving money on the table. “I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry admitted when asked, despite enormous salaries, if the players were getting short-changed, “because you wanna be able to participate in that rise [of equity].” “It’s a partnership with ownership, [and] it’s a partnership with the league,” the 37-year-old stressed, revealing that league salaries do not reflect players’ impact on team valuations. If anyone has the right to begrudge the current CBA on player participation in equity, it’s Curry. When drafted in 2009, the Warriors were worth $315 million. Current valuations in May of 2025 have the team at $9.4 billion, the most in the league. Curry’s been paid handsomely during his time in Golden State, and he doesn’t overlook it. “I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning,” he told Complex. However, when he signed his $62.6 million one-year extension in 2024 that would keep him in a Warriors’ jersey until 2027, many felt that no amount of money the franchise could offer him would represent his worth. Curry had an undeniable impact on the Warriors’ valuation increasing by nearly 3,000%. He’s benefited by being the most salaried player on the roster and plenty of endorsement deals. But is he getting his fair share? Something similar may happen with reigning NBA Finals MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed the richest contract in league history with an average annual value of $71.25 million. According to Forbes, the Thunder’s valuation increased 20% from 2023 to 2024 and will likely take another jump after this year’s championship. Curry concedes that player participation in equity isn’t a simple concept and not all markets are created equal: “You got competitive advantage considerations…and want every market to have a fair chance, like I get all that.” He believes, however, that finding a solution is a “mutually beneficial proposition” for players, teams and the league. Even the most expensive people in the world need to find other investors to make owning an NBA team possible. The best example of Curry’s point is the Boston Celtics sale in March. The most-championed franchise in league history was sold to Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, the largest ever sports franchise sale in North America at the time. Chisholm needed Rob Hale, Bruce Beal Jr., and private equity firm Sixth Street, to afford the purchase. Because team ownership is already a multi-investor operation, the league could potentially come to an agreement with the players by the next CBA negotiation at the end of the decade. If not, the league's best players will continue to simultaneously earn a ridiculous amount of money, and it will not be nearly enough.
Former Eagles champion announces retirement from NFL
One veteran NFL defender is ready to trade the football field for the golf course. Former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks announced in a post to social media on Friday that he is retiring from the NFL. Hicks is calling it quits after 10 career seasons with four different teams. “I walk away with peace knowing I gave football all I had, and that the best is yet to come,” Hicks wrote in his post. You can see the post in full here. Now 33 years old, Hicks was a third-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2015. He spent the first four seasons of his career with them and was a member of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning team in the 2018 campaign. Hicks later went on to play for the Arizona Cardinals, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Cleveland Browns as well. The former University of Texas star Hicks was one of the more versatile linebackers of his era, capable of playing all three positions (inside, middle, and outside). He tied for third in the NFL with five interceptions during the 2016 season and also later ranked third in the NFL with 150 combined tackles during the 2019 season. Hicks made 12 appearances in 2024 for the Browns but is now content with walking away from the game. He also dealt with a dangerous physical condition that required hospitalization a couple years ago and has thus decided to move onto his next chapter.
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