MSU's Izzo Stunningly Reveals He Discussed NBA Job Last Offseason

Michigan State came sort of close to losing an all-time great last offseason.

On Wednesday morning, MSU's Tom Izzo went on "The Dan Patrick Show" and revealed that he had been in discussions with the NBA's Phoenix Suns last offseason about their vacant head coaching position. Izzo wouldn't say he was formally offered the job, but that they "talked seriously about it."

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

The Suns are currently owned by one of Izzo's former players, Mat Ishbia, who is also the CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage. Phoenix ended up hiring Jordan Ott, an experienced NBA assistant who was actually a graduate assistant at MSU at one point, to the position instead.

This is not the first flirtation Izzo has had with an NBA franchise. Izzo turned down the Atlanta Hawks job back in 2000 after he won the national championship, and then he also turned down the Cleveland Cavaliers (and owner and Michigan State alumnus Dan Gilbert) back in 2010.

More on Izzo, Suns Situation

Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Izzo also indicated that all the changes in college sports, which have generally shifted power away from schools and coaches towards players and athletes, were a reason he considered a shift. The line between college and pro has blurred quite a bit, but at least the NBA has rules for everything. College sports as a whole is just a lot more disorganized at the moment.

"I've been pretty vocal about it: I don't like what's been going on in college athletics," Izzo told Patrick. "But by the way, neither do 99.8% of the football and basketball coaches in America. I still think the kids are going to find out before it's done that it's not the best for them, either."

Mar 21, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA;Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo speaks with 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

The lack of rules and regulations has driven some coaches out. Since NIL and the transfer portal have become major factors in the sport about five years ago, college basketball has seen Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, North Carolina's Roy Williams, Villanova's Jay Wright, and Virginia's Tony Bennett. Michigan's John Beilein also left the college game behind for the Cavaliers. Izzo jumping for the NBA after 30 seasons at Michigan State would have been another level of stunning, though.

This flew under the radar a bit at the time, but The Athletic did report back in February that Izzo had talked with Ishbia about the Suns job after it had come open, but the talks "never advanced" and Izzo's main role in Phoenix's coaching search was for "more broad advice."

Mat Ishbia, left, talks to Greg Williams during the second half between Michigan State and Oakland at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images