On Friday MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo — along with former NBA stars Yao Ming, Sheryl Swoopes, Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Izzo, now headed into his 22nd year at the helm of the Spartans, is known for giving enthusiastic and emotional speeches. Izzo said at the induction ceremony on Friday that he was very thankful for the honor and repeatedly thanked his players for helping him forge a hall of fame coaching career.
“It’s the players that get the coach here,” Izzo said. “(For) players to get (to the Hall of Fame) you got to perform yourselves, for a coach to get here he needs his players and assistant coaches.”
Former pupils Steve Smith and Draymond Green had a few things to say about Izzo.
“Man, it’s incredible just to be here in support of him,” Green, a former player of Izzo’s, said. “This man means so much to me, for him to be in the Hall of Fame, I got to a lot of work to do to get here, and if I never make it, I made it because he’s here... He really cares. He cares about the individuals that he coach, more so as people than even players. You don’t meet people like Coach Izzo every single day.”
MSU legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson also spoke about Izzo.
“I love him to death because he’s the coolest dude, but make no mistake about him, a fierce competitor,” Johnson said. “Every player that’s played for him just loves him because he stays with you, whether you make it to the NBA or not. You have a friend for life and a coach for life.”
Izzo’s speech was a thank you letter to everyone who helped make him a 2016 inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame possible.
Izzo started his speech by thanking his parents, mentioning to the crowd that his father passed away last December. Izzo said his parents mentored him and taught him the value of a hard work ethic — a skill Izzo said he still uses today.
“My dad, who passed away last December, taught me one of the greatest gifts of all,” Izzo said. “How and why to work. To accomplish special things in life, whether it was to feed or take care of your family, or win national championships.”
As his speech progressed, Izzo talked about his family and how much they mean to him.
“I must start with my best recruit, my wife Lupe,” Izzo said. “As many people in this room know it’s not easy to be a coach’s wife. There are so many obligations, distractions and sacrifices made that you don’t always realize because you’re always constantly on that treadmill.”
Continuing down the line of his family, Izzo thanked, Raquel, who appeared to be emotionally moved by his speech.
“Raquel — we’ve waited a long time for you and it was worth every minute,” Izzo said. “I’ve never met someone with as big a heart as you. Not only did I put you in a tough spot as you went through high school as the coaches daughter, but then you chose to come to Michigan State as a student, but there had to be a lot of defending going on over those years. You’ve excelled in your own right and even overcome your heredity by making the dean’s list.”
Izzo, then began to thank his son, Steven. Izzo then talked about some of the biggest father-son moments the two have shared over the years.
“(Steven) has become quite the young man and I appreciate how he deals with having a father as public figure,” Izzo said. “Even though they aren’t as numerous as they like, I cherish every one of the father-son moments that we have. I know he has my back when I hear him yelling at a referee behind the bench. Steven, in the same way I’ll have your back as you go through life, so thank you.”
Izzo later thanked his predecessor, Jud Heathcote, for giving him a chance as an assistant coach with MSU, and later on fighting for Izzo to become head coach, as well as crediting Heathcote for all of his coaching success.
“To this day he’s one of the first people I call when I have a tough decision in coaching or in life,” Izzo said.
Izzo thanked all of his players and coaching staff who helped him reach this point. Lastly, Izzo finished his speech by explaining his love for the game of basketball.
“I’d like to thank the game of basketball. For all of us it’s done so much,” Izzo said. “It’s allowed so many of us to live our wildest dreams and brought joy to so many others. Basketball is the ultimate team game, where we learn the value of teamwork, a group of individuals focused on a common goal.”
