WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� It was well past midnight on Saturday morning after Tom Izzo鈥檚 Michigan State Spartans , when the 71-year-old coach was asked where he sees himself in five years.
鈥淭rying to win a national championship 鈥� plain and simple,鈥� he said.
Izzo has guided Michigan State to eight Final Fours and captured the Big Ten鈥檚 most recent national title in men’s basketball in 2000. He wouldn鈥檛 take much heat if he decided he wanted to get out of the game like so many of his peers have 鈥� in a new day and age dominated by the transfer portal and name, image and likeness.
Instead, it sounds like he’s not even considering such a scenario.
鈥淲e all talk about retirement,鈥� Izzo said after the Spartans lost 67-63 to UConn. 鈥淲hy? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don鈥檛 feel good, the minute I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檓 giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don鈥檛 have to worry about it. I don鈥檛 steal money. I won鈥檛 steal anybody鈥檚 time.鈥�
Izzo hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2019 鈥� the longest drought of his career. But he immediately called the Spartans’ future bright after Jeremy Fears and Coen Carr 鈥� both with eligibility remaining 鈥� left the postgame podium after a tough loss in which Michigan State trailed 25-6 before coming back to take the lead in the second half.
鈥淭omorrow I鈥檓 going to the portal,鈥� Izzo said.
鈥淭he only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I鈥檓 going right to my frickin鈥� locker room, and I鈥檓 going to talk to each and every player right there. I鈥檓 going to make some decisions about what we鈥檙e going to do that I feel very comfortable with.鈥�
Izzo expects to return seven to eight players to go along with what he described as a strong freshman class.
鈥淚鈥檓 the luckiest guy in the world. I鈥檓 just not lucky enough to be playing on Sunday,鈥� Izzo said. 鈥淚鈥檒l get to play on another Sunday. Hang around.鈥�
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