By W.G. Ramirez
The Sporting Tribune
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
For some, hearing the name Tom Izzo brings to mind Michigan State men’s basketball.
But the 70-year-old legendary coach has had a much bigger impact on college basketball because of his elite consistency, cultural identity and player development that has spanned nearly three decades.
What Izzo has done hasn’t just defined what Big Ten basketball resembles, but he’s set a standard for what mentorship in men’s college basketball should look like.
Izzo, who has been at Michigan State since 1995, was the 2011 recipient of the Wooden Legends of Coaching Award.
He led the Spartans to the 2000 National Championship, has been to eight Final Fours, won six Big Ten tournament titles and owns a 59-26 record after countless NCAA Tournament appearances.
In an era of coaching movement and roster volatility, Izzo has built a program that’s been relevant across multiple generations of players and styles of basketball.
Izzo has become known as “Mr. March” because his teams often outperform expectations in the Big Dance. His teams always promote toughness, discipline, and come mentally prepared for games.
You’ll rarely see Izzo-coached teams rely on gimmicks, as he’s always taught fundamentals, execution, rebounding and hard-nosed defense.
It’s Izzo’s reputation alone that has shaped how coaches prepare teams for postseason basketball.
Specific to the court, Izzo has always emphasized relentless rebounding, ball pressure defense and unselfish play.
He’s long been known as someone who’s turned overlooked recruits into NBA players and role players into college stars.
Izzo has never turned a blind eye to prioritizing growth, accountability, and basketball IQ. He’s often been able to keep players for multiple years and improve their skills incrementally. It’s an approach that’s become a counterweight to the one-and-done era.
His loyalty toward Michigan State has certainly helped, as he’s always declined NBA interest and bigger offers from other programs. His loyalty has always strengthened the coach–school bond model and shown recruits and fans the value of stability. Izzo has helped preserve the idea of programs over personalities.
His mentorship has also helped his coaching tree with a big influence on many assistants and players who worked under Izzo went on to become head coaches. He’s also influenced how defense, toughness, and preparation are still taught nationwide.
Izzo has never been shy about wearing everything on his sleeve, exuding incredible passion on the sideline while exhibiting a fierce accountability with players. He also displays genuine care off the court for anyone he’s come in contact with during his career.
Izzo’s authenticity has continually resonated with players and fans and reinforced the idea that intensity and love for the game can coexist.
Fact is, Izzo hasn’t just won games, he’s someone who has set a standard with how a program should be built, how basketball should be played in March and how toughness, loyalty and development still matter.
In a sport constantly changing, Izzo has become a pillar, which is why his impact on college basketball is so enduring.
All things considered, Tom Izzo’s impact extends well beyond East Lansing and Michigan State.