Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo’s mother, Dorothy Izzo, has passed away six days after turning 100 years old.
Dorothy Izzo passed on May 19, 2026, according to her obituary. Her husband and Tom Izzo’s father, Carl Izzo, died in 2015.
Tom Izzo’s mother, Dorothy, passes away at 100
Tom Izzo has often included his family members in MSU basketball events, even coaching his son, Steven Izzo.
Dorothy Izzo was no exception as she made headlines last season. Tom Izzo mentioned her while chewing out guard Kur Teng in a timeout. "Kur, you can’t guard my mother, my mother!" Tom Izzo said during a Jan. 20 win at Oregon.
The quip continued when Illinois coach Brad Underwood said his player "probably would give up 20 to Izzo’s mom last year" before improving. Underwood added, "Tom, don’t get pissed and call me tonight when you see this, I hear she’s a hell of a player."
Steven Izzo posted a photo of Dorothy Izzo posing alongside AI-generated art of her playing basketball in February. "Even at 99, she’s still a bucket," he captioned it.
Dorothy Izzo has made other viral appearances throughout Tom Izzo’s coaching career, including a visit to the Minnesota visiting locker room after a game in 2016.
Dorothy Izzo is survived by Tom Izzo, his wife Lupe, two daughters, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
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