One of the greatest coaches in college basketball history, Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo has carved out a Hall of Fame career. But beyond the championships, Coach of the Year accolades, and 500+ career wins, Izzo has shaped the lives of countless players and coaches who have come through his program. On this episode, Izzo talks about what’s shaped his sports leadership philosophy, the difference between good teams and great teams, and the legacy he wants to leave behind.
Show Notes
- His Michigan roots and values his parents instilled early (2:55)
- His relationship with Mateen Cleaves (4:18)
- How he builds trust with his players (6:28)
- The activity he does with his players each year (7:05)
- His mission in life (7:40)
- The characteristics of great teams (8:22)
- The difference between great players and elite players (9:32)
- A player-coached team is better than a coach-coached team (11:00)
- Tough players win championships (13:01)
- The importance of spending time (17:50)
- What he does to re-build a player’s confidence (20:52)
- Self-motivate and self-evaluate (28:13)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Tom Izzo’s coaching tree
- Carl Izzo (father of Tom Izzo)
- Mateen Cleaves
- John Smoltz
- New England Patriots
- San Antonio Spurs
- Golden State Warriors
- Draymond Green
- Denzel Valentine
- Zach Randolph
- Jason Richardson
- Steve Smith
- Antonio Smith
- Chris Hill
- Morris Peterson
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- Chipper Jones on What Baseball Taught Me About Failure
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