"We might have made a mistake": Tom Izzo slams COVID-era changes, calls NIL and transfer portal "absolute chaos"
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has been a fixture in college basketball for over three decades. The national champion coach expressed concerns over changes that have impacted the sport in recent years.
Izzo, a Naismith Hall of Famer, led the Spartans to 10 Big Ten regular season titles, six conference tournament titles, eight NCAA Final Four appearances and a national championship.
However, Michigan State's dominance in the Big Ten faded, with the Spartans failing to win the conference title since 2020 — the COVID era followed by the implementation of NIL rules, which largely impacted the sport, according to Tom Izzo.
"As I look back, I think we might have made a mistake," Izzo told On3. "It was all in good intention that kids didn’t get a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament, right? I mean, that was the big reason for it. We played 90% of the season.
"We did not get to play in the conference tournament or the NCAA Tournament, and so they gave everybody another year, and it sounded fair and good, but when you added that with the NIL and the transfer portal, it’s been absolute chaos."
Players who freshly come out of high school and have yet to play college basketball can now land big deals with global brands. Even backup players, who used to wait a year to join a new team, can now move to a new school right away.
The impact of changes not only is on players, but Izzo noticed that many old-time coaches had a tough time adapting.
Tom Izzo compares past coaching experience with present
Tom Izzo, who enters his 30th season as the Spartans coach this coming season, has experienced many changes throughout his career.
The NIL rule and transfer portal changes have created a different landscape for coaches compared to years past. Izzo is one of just six active college basketball coaches who have won a NCAA championship.
"I’ve gotten soft. I let everyone make me soft," Izzo said. "Our society has gotten soft, and so I got to make sure I find a way to adjust. I mean, it’s never going to be what it was like 20 years ago."
Tom Izzo's colleagues — Mike Krzyzewski retired in 2022, while Tony Bennett announced his retirement this week. The 69-year-old MSU coach is also reaching the end of his storied career but appears committed to continue evolving.