How close the Phoenix Suns came to going a different direction at head coach
Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo calls out to players during the second half in the game against Michigan on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. © Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns nearly took a different path in their coaching search last summer, almost bringing a two-time NABC Coach of the Year to the Valley. Tom Izzo, head coach of Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball, spoke on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday and recalled a conversation he had with a colleague.
Izzo then revealed he was in serious discussions about bringing his expertise to Phoenix. “I [had] more than a couple job offers in the NBA and looked at one last year with Phoenix,” Izzo said. “You know, and my former player, Mat Ishbia… That was a hard thing to turn down because, number one, I kind of wanted to go with him.
” When asked directly if the Suns offered him the head coaching position after the club fired former head coach Mike Budenholzer, Izzo made it clear there was a level of interest on both sides. “We talked seriously about it, let’s say that,” he said. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo lifts the NCAA championship trophy after the win over Florida, April 3, 2000 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.
Mateen Cleaves is at right. © Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Msu Florida Championship Basketball The revelation offers insight into how close one of college basketball’s most established figures came to making the jump to the NBA. Izzo has led the Spartans since 1995 and won a national championship in 2000.
The potential move would have paired a trusted coach with Ishbia, creating an established relationship and continuity at the professional level. The opportunity to test his program-building philosophy in a different environment could have altered the culture in the desert. Jan 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott against the New York Knicks at Mortgage Matchup Center.