Will Tom Izzo Capture Second National Championship Before He Retires?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Greg Liodice | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 6:01 PM ET

Tom Izzo didn’t get named to the Basketball Hall of Fame for no reason.

He’s built a rare kind of longevity, entering his 31st season as Michigan State's head coach — a feat only matched at the highest level by legends like Adolph Rupp, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, and Phog Allen, each of whom coached 40+ years with one program.

Izzo, meanwhile, has maintained dominance with a career .702 winning percentage and a 59–26 NCAA Tournament record, guiding the Spartans to eight Final Fours.

But that elusive second national championship has yet to come. His lone title came in 2000, and while he’s coached plenty of dominant teams since, a combination of better opponents and untimely injuries has often gotten in the way.

Now, with Izzo turning 71 in January and the coaching clock ticking louder each year, the question looms: Can he grab that second ring before he calls it a career?

It's unlikely that it will be with the 2025–26 squad.

Next year’s team is a work in progress. Losing star guard Jase Richardson hurts, but it’s not just him, as six other departures leave plenty of holes. There’s a learning curve ahead with incoming freshmen Cam Ward and Jordan Scott, and transfers Trey Fort and Divine Ugochukwu stepping in.

The team also took a hit when transfer Kaleb Glenn tore his patellar tendon during offseason workouts. While he’s expected to redshirt and return in 2026, it’s a lost year of immediate impact.

Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr are expected to take significant leaps, but the roster still lacks the completeness of a true title contender.

That said, Izzo still has juice, both on the recruiting trail and on the court. He’s made offers to several 2026 prospects, and while some have committed elsewhere, four-star guard Steven Reynolds and point guard Carlos Medlock are trending toward East Lansing.

Izzo has always found a way to get the most out of his squads. The question is no longer whether he’s a Hall of Famer, because he is. It's whether he can finish with one more run to the top?

Maybe not next season. But don't count him out just yet.

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