Tom Izzo: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:04, 6 August 2006

Revision as of 03:35, 7 August 2006

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==Early coaching career==

After graduating from Northern Michigan, Izzo was head coach at Ishpeming High school for one season before returning to NMU where he worked as an assistant coach until 1983. He then came on staff at Michigan State as an assistant coach under [[Jud_Heathcote|Jud Heathcoate]]. He worked in that position until 1995, when Heathcoate retired and Izzo took over.

==USA basketball==

Izzo was head coach of the head coach of the [[USA Baketball]] Under-18 team that won the world championship at the [[2003]] [[Pan American Games]]. Prior to that he was assistant coach on the [[2001]] team that had a 5-0 record and won the gold medal at the 2001 [[Goodwill Games]].

==NBA opportunities==

Izzo has had opportunities to become a coach in the NBA. The best-known case was when the [[Atlanta Hawks]] offered him a head coaching job in 2000, following MSU's national championship. He was contacted by the [[Toronto Raptors]] in [[2004]], but stated "I have a commitment to this program and that is to try to win another national championship,". [http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=24427].