As NBA teams try to fill their head coaching vacancy, might a Basketball Hall of Famer from Michigan be headed south?
The Athletic's Michael Scotto tweeted on Thursday morning: "The Orlando Magic have expressed interest in Michigan State coach Tom Izzo for the team's head coaching position, league sources told The Athletic."
Izzo's teams have struggled to meet high expectations the last few seasons. Though his teams have extended his run of consecutive NCAA tournament appearances to 21, he has not made it to the Sweet 16 the last three years, the longest drought of his career.
Last season was perhaps Izzo's most tumultuous off the court. Despite winning the Big Ten regular-season title, reports swirled around the program, from past sexual assault allegations to star Miles Bridges' impermissible benefits. Izzo has so far been cleared of wrongdoing.
“I’ll be here,” Izzo said after losing the Syracuse in the second round of the NCAA tournament in March at Little Caesars Arena. “And we’ll be back knocking on the door to win a championship. I’m gonna make damn sure of that.”
This would not be Izzo's first flirtation with the NBA. In 2000, he was up for the Atlanta Hawks job, a few months after winning the NCAA championship. The Hawks replaced Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkins with Lon Kruger, who lasted just two-plus seasons.
Then in 2010, Izzo wrestled with the idea of leaving MSU to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, owned by MSU alum Dan Gilbert. Izzo eventually held a news conference in East Lansing, announcing he was staying. The next month, LeBron James announced he was leaving Cleveland to sign with the Miami Heat.
Izzo, 65, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He has 574 career wins as a head coach, all at MSU, and has reached seven Final Fours.
