BTN.com staff, April 4, 2016
Tom Izzo is a lot of things in the game of basketball, and now he's a hall of famer.
[ MORE: MSUSpartans.com: Izzo elected to Naismith Hall of Fame ]
The legendary Michigan State coach was announced as a member of the 2016 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class on Monday morning.
Izzo, along with former college and NBA superstars Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson, headlines the latest class.
In 21 seasons at the helm of the Spartans, Izzo has amassed a 524-205 record (.719) and advanced to seven Final Fours (1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015), winning the 2000 national title, the second in Michigan State history and the last won by a Big Ten team.
"I've always told my players that they need to dream something before they can achieve it," Izzo said in a school release. "Growing up in Iron Mountain, I had plenty of dreams, many of them seemed like long shots. But I'd be lying if I said being in the Hall of Fame was one of those dreams — it seemed too big. Even today, it's surreal."
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Congratulations coach Tom Izzo on being named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame! #welldeserved #Spartans pic.twitter.com/q7ZX4cMIyD
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) April 4, 2016