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Michigan State's Tom Izzo Downplays Retirement Talk: 'I Am Rejuvenated'

Tyler Conway

Tom Izzo isn't going to overstay his welcome at Michigan State, but he has no plans on retiring anytime soon.

The 67-year-old sat down for an interview on the Draymond Green Show and told the former Spartans forward he's "rejuvenated" heading into the 2022-23 season.

"I know one thing I'm not gonna do: I've watched some guys stay or year or two too long," Izzo said (20:51 mark). "I'm not into anything but the day that I feel I don't want to take redeyes, I don't want to go out recruiting, I don't want to have meetings in my office like some of the ones we had, I'm gone. And, if I'm not, I know you [Green] will tell me. ... I got some guys that will tell me, 'It's time.'

"But you are right: I am rejuvenated. Right now, the campus, it's electric right now. Mel [Tucker] has done an excellent job. We've put $70 million into football. We just put a bunch into hockey. We got cranes in the sky again. We got students walking. Two years of COVID. Two-and-a-half years, we had nobody walking around. ... I'm energized by that."

Izzo has been at Michigan State since 1995-96, delivering eight Final Four appearances and the 2000 national championship. Speculation about Izzo's future has spiked in recent season as Michigan State failed to perform to its typical standard, but the Naismith Hall of Famer quelled all rumors in August by agreeing to a five-year extension.

Michigan State will understandably allow Izzo to set his own timeline for retirement, and his new contract even calls for a post-retirement job with the university.

The retirements of Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski in recent years has only served to increase the spotlight on Izzo and Jim Boeheim, the sport's last two remaining pillars of their generation of coaches. Izzo is five years younger than Williams, eight years Krzyzewski's junior and a full decade younger than Boeheim, which likely means we'll see him for at least the next half-decade.

   

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