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Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo ripped the NCAA’s recent decision to allow former NBA G League players to play college ball.
Thierry Darlan, 21, committed to Santa Clara last month after spending parts of two seasons in the G League, while London Johnson, who spent three seasons in the league, will join Louisville.
Izzo said today’s college basketball has “no rules” and “kids are not the problem, we are the problem.”
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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo leaves the court after a 70-64 loss to Auburn in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Junfu Han/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“I’m going to get myself in trouble. … I’m not real excited about the NCAA or whoever makes these decisions, without talking to us, just letting it go. They’re afraid they’re going to get sued,” Izzo told reporters Tuesday, via ESPN .
“Someone’s going to say, ‘Well, if they go pro and it doesn’t work out, they should be able to come back. Well, what about the freshmen you recruited there? That’s somebody’s son, and he thinks he’s got a good spot, and all of a sudden, shazam, they pull out of their hat and bring a 21- or 22-year-old into the league. It’s embarrassing.’
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo gestures during the second half of a game against New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
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“And I love my job. I don’t respect my profession and I don’t respect whoever does it. Whoever made those decisions because they’re afraid a lawyer is going to sue them, sooner or later you have to fight the fight … Maybe I’m the puppet, but I’ll never agree to that thing.”
Izzo said the NCAA needs to “regroup” and once again exonerate the players themselves of any blame.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo looks at practice day ahead of NCAAs men’s basketball tournament at the Spectrum Center on March 20, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
“I don’t want to be mad at the players. I want to be mad at the adults in the room,” he said. “So stop blaming the players any more. Blame the adults who make the decisions that allow some of these ridiculous things to happen. And then the unintended consequences hurt kids who are trying to do it the right way with a process, not jumping around.”
Izzo’s Spartans reached the Elite Eight last season but lost to Auburn.
