Tom Izzo Sounds Off on NCAA Eligibility Chaos and Mic'd-Up Moment Gone Viral
If there's one thing we’ve come to expect from Tom Izzo, it’s that he’s never afraid to speak his mind. Whether it's about his team, the state of college hoops, or the shifting sands of NCAA policy, the Hall of Fame coach doesn’t hold back. And on Thursday, fresh off a long road trip, Izzo had plenty to get off his chest.
This time, the Michigan State head coach had two targets in his crosshairs: the NCAA’s handling of player eligibility and a television producer who aired a now-viral clip of Izzo mid-huddle.
NCAA Eligibility? “Wild, Wild West”
Let’s start with the eligibility saga that’s been swirling around college basketball this season. The latest flashpoint: Charles Bediako, who spent the last three years playing professionally with the G League’s Motor City Cruise, was granted a temporary restraining order that allowed him to return to Alabama and suit up against Tennessee. That decision, handed down by a judge, didn’t sit well with Izzo.
“I just get mad,” Izzo said, clearly frustrated. “I don’t follow it to worry about the cases.
It’s pretty evident that I have no say, the coaches have no say. And coaches are doing what they want to do.”
He didn’t name names, but his comments seemed to nod toward Alabama coach Nate Oats and Baylor’s Scott Drew-two coaches who’ve added controversial players to their rosters this season. Drew’s case involved James Nnjai, a former Pistons draft pick who joined Baylor just after Christmas.
Izzo’s frustration wasn’t just about the decisions-it was about the process, or lack thereof. “Utterly ridiculous,” he said.
“And yet, we have judges now doing it. We have Congress not jumping in.
We have the NCAA with no say. So it’s the wild, wild west, so be prepared for anything.”
Izzo has known Oats for decades, dating back to the days when Oats was coaching at Romulus High School in Michigan and working Izzo’s summer camps. They’ve shared a long-standing relationship, and Izzo even once served as a reference for Oats. Same goes for Drew, whom Izzo called “a good friend” just last month.
But those ties didn’t stop him from calling out what he sees as hypocrisy.
“I get a kick out of it, though - some of them are coaches that were calling and complaining last year about it,” Izzo said. “But, hey, when in Rome, do like the Romans, I guess.”
And don’t forget-Izzo once recruited Bediako himself. So this one hit a little closer to home.
Earlier in the season, Izzo joked about the eligibility chaos, saying maybe he’d reach out to some of his former NBA players to see if they wanted to come back to East Lansing. But on Thursday, the tone was different-no jokes, just resolve.
“I’m just gonna keep my guys, I’m gonna keep being different,” Izzo said. “I’m going to the transfer portal for sure this spring - I’m going right to my locker room, and I’m gonna try to keep every frickin’ player I got.”
Mic’d Up and Misunderstood
Izzo’s second gripe? A mic’d-up moment that went viral during Michigan State’s 68-52 win at Oregon. FS1 had him wired for sound, and during a huddle, cameras caught him telling sophomore guard Kur Teng, “You can’t guard my mother.”
The clip blew up online, but Izzo made it clear Thursday that the comment wasn’t meant to humiliate Teng-it was a motivational tool. One he’s used dozens of times before.
“They weren’t jokes on the Kur stuff,” Izzo explained. “I must have said that 100 times.
In all fairness and honesty, No. 1, I ain’t worried about Kur, because I told him that 100 times - I tell him that every practice.”
Izzo’s point wasn’t just about the comment-it was about the trust coaches place in TV crews when they agree to be mic’d up. And in his view, that trust was broken.
“I hate to rip the producer - but we allow people in the huddle. Some huddles are gonna be different than others.
That one was calm, so it wasn’t a big deal. But you still pick and choose.
I have some producers I would trust.”
The clip sparked reactions nationwide, and Izzo was asked about it postgame. He responded then, and doubled down Thursday: this was nothing new for Teng.
“Kur heard it 100 times here,” Izzo said. “And if he guarded better? He wouldn’t hear it.”
But don’t mistake the tough love for a lack of belief. On his weekly radio show later that night, Izzo made sure to praise Teng, calling him a “hell of a kid” and a “helluva shooter.”
“If he adds that part [defense] to his game, he’s gonna be a helluva player for himself and a helluva player for us,” Izzo said.
Mama Izzo, Still Going Strong
And what about the woman at the center of the viral quip-Izzo’s 99-year-old mother, Dorothy?
“She’s great. I think she’s working out now,” Izzo said with a smile.
“I called her today, and she was seriously doing a little exercise program. I think I motivated her.”
Yes, Izzo saw the AI-generated images floating around social media showing Dorothy going one-on-one with Teng. He laughed, but couldn’t resist a jab at the digital world.
“I hate the social media,” he said. “My mom said I could fly on her coattails now that she’s more famous than I am.”
Bottom Line
Tom Izzo’s never been one to bite his tongue, and Thursday was a reminder of why he remains one of college basketball’s most compelling voices. Whether he’s taking on the NCAA, defending his players, or sharing a laugh about his mom’s newfound fame, Izzo brings the kind of passion and perspective that keeps this sport grounded-even when the rules are anything but.