Michigan State’s Tom Izzo says he had serious talks last year about coaching NBA’s Phoenix Suns
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
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