In a recent conference call, ESPN’s Jay Bilas took the time to praise Michigan State Basketball and their esteemed head coach Tom Izzo. Here are some of the best quotes from Bilas about Izzo.
On where MSU stands in the national picture:
“They’re very talented, they have experience” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. “And I think they’re gonna be if not the best team, then among the best teams all year.”
On Tom Izzo’s place in the college basketball landscape:
“He is on the top level with any coach that’s ever done this,” Bilas said of Izzo. “He’s not sitting in the back seat of any car with college coaches in it, not one. His program is the envy of the game.”
Bilas also complimented Izzo’s bold scheduling and willingness to take on challenges in order to make his team better:
“Izzo decided not to schedule the (Golden State) Warriors because Klay Thompson was hurt, and he wasn’t sure he could get as much out of it,” Bilas joked. “He’s always done this, and that’s one of the reasons he’s one of the best and most respected coaches out there. There’s a lot of coaches who’ll play anyone, anywhere, anytime; and Tom actually does it. He knows his players like to play in those games, the fans like to see them, and he likes to coach in them. And he’s not afraid to get beat, because he knows what comes from that. You’ll find out who you are, and you’ll find out what you need to do to compete with the best.”
