Earlier this week we all heard the rumors that the Cleveland Cavaliers had offered their vacant head coaching position to Michigan State’s Head Coach Tom Izzo. Personally I had somewhat passed it off as a rumor at the time, not being able to wrap my mind around visualizing Izzo anywhere else but at the end of the Michigan State Spartans Bench. Today the popular Cleveland sports blog ‘Waiting for Next Year’ reported that sources close to the site were assuring them that Izzo has not only accepted the Cavaliers offer, but also had already begun informing his Michigan State players that he would be leaving for greener pastures in the NBA.
Sources close to WFNY have informed us that Tom Izzo has told his players at Michigan State that he plans on taking the Cavaliers job. Our sources have heard directly from players on the MSU team that Izzo informed them this week that he is planning on making the move up to the NBA level under the ownership of MSU grad Dan Gilbert. We have also heard from a separate source that Izzo is holding off on announcing this until the end of the week, when his kids finish up school in the Lansing area.
Izzo has been the head coach of the Spartans since 1995. Izzo has led the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA Division I National Championship, six Final Fours, and six Big Ten Championships in his first 15 years at Michigan State. The winningest coach in school history, Izzo’s teams have been invited to the past 13 consecutive NCAA tournaments, in addition to setting the Big Ten record for the longest home winning streak.
After all that winning for one program, it’s really hard to imagine him anywhere else but Michigan State. But its not only the lure of the money and fame at the professional NBA level that would be enticing to Izzo. If anything the biggest draw must be the opportunity to coach the leagues most dominant player in Lebron James. Although there are no guarantees that Lebron will resign with Cleveland this summer during his free agency, hearing the news that Izzo will be signing with the Cavaliers will go a long way to tipping the balance in the Cavaliers favor.
For months Lebron James has been saying his number one priority for free agency is making sure he signs with a team that gives him the best opportunity to win. In the present and in the future. Who better to play for than a coach that has a history of winning, with and without the best talent, as the underdog and the frontrunners.
