Tom Izzo was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 9, 2016, cementing his status as one of the game’s all-time greats.

Now in his 29th year, Izzo has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including the 2000 NCAA National Championship, 10 regular-season Big Ten Championships, six Big Ten Tournament titles, eight Final Four appearances, eight National Coach of the Year awards and a Big Ten-record 25 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. When the Spartans were selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Izzo became the first men’s basketball head coach in history to lead his team to 25-straight appearances. These accomplishments, however, are not what make Izzo one of the best in the game, but rather it is his insatiable desire to accomplish more.

With a career record of 687-280, it’s easy to see that Izzo knows how to win, but he also knows how to win the right way. In his 28 years directing the Spartan program, 85 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last 23 years, 67 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees. In 28 seasons, Izzo has returned Michigan State to national prominence, placed his name in the NCAA record books and become a leader among college basketball coaches.