Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo speaks with the media after the game against the Louisville Cardinals during a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Michigan State's Tom Izzo seriously considered coaching for Phoenix Suns

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 5:45 PM ET

Tom Izzo has been the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans since 1995. He's a legend in East Lansing, and at 71 years old, there's a very real chance that he ends up retiring as a Michigan State lifer. He's been at MSU for 31 seasons straight. What's a few more, right?

Izzo will likely retire as a Spartan through and through when he hangs up his whistle, but in a recent conversation with Dan Patrick about the state of college basketball, he revealed that he almost left MSU to coach the Phoenix Suns in the NBA.

A conversation was being had about UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who is as good as they come as a college basketball coach, but a few years ago, he had a chance to jump ship and coach the Los Angeles Lakers.

Izzo was glad that Hurley didn't leave the college ranks, but then he admitted that he almost made a similar decision last year.

“I’ve had more than a couple job offers in the NBA,” Izzo said (h/t On3). “And looked at one last year with Phoenix, you know. My former player, Mat Ishbia. That was hard, that was a hard thing to turn down, because No. 1 I kind of wanted to go with him.”

Michigan State HC Tom Izzo reveals he was in talks with the Phoenix #Suns:

"I've had more than a couple job offers in the NBA, looked at one last year with Phoenix – my former player Mat Ishbia. That was hard, that was a hard thing to turn down... we talked seriously about it." pic.twitter.com/kjSIJreIWz
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) April 1, 2026

Tom Izzo almost left Michigan State for an NBA job with the Phoenix Suns

Mat Ishbia is the owner of the Suns, and he played point guard for Izzo at Michigan State from 1999 to 2002. He ultimately hired Jordan Ott, who used to work under Izzo at Michigan State, to replace Mike Budenholzer, but Izzo made it clear that there were some serious discussions about him heading out to the desert.

He didn't make that decision, but it was on the table, and the current landscape of college basketball was a big reason why Izzo considered it.

"I don’t like what’s going on in college athletics,” Izzo said. “But by the way, neither do 99.8% of the football and basketball coaches in America. And I think the kids are going to still find out before it’s done, it’s not best for them either."

“But in the meantime, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, and I’ll let guys like you call me old school. But that means you’re old school, too. But I think we’re both right school, so we’ll see what happens.”

Izzo took Michigan State to the Elite Eight last season, and the Spartans made a Sweet 16 run in this current NCAA Tournament before getting knocked out by Hurley's UConn Huskies.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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