MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo will return to Kuwait this month to coach troops and foster morale as part of Operation Hardwood II.

Izzo first visited the Middle East last August and coached the military team Camp Arifjan to a championship in the eight-team tournament.

"My first trip was eye-opening in many different ways and cemented the tremendous respect I have for the men and women of the United States armed forces," Izzo said in a statement. "The troops repeatedly told us how much they appreciated our time and how much they enjoyed the event, but it was us as coaches that left feeling as though we received much more than we gave."

Izzo will join a number of coaches including Indiana's Kelvin Sampson, Alabama's Mark Gottfried, South Carolina's Dave Odom and Charlotte's Bobby Lutz, as well as ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas.

"It's great any time you can have an event where everyone benefits," Izzo said in the statement.