Tom Izzo has fiery response to question about NCAA Transfer Portal (Video)

Mar 23, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo coaches in the second half against the New Mexico Lobos  during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Mar 23, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo coaches in the second half against the New Mexico Lobos during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

If you know anything about Tom Izzo, you'd know that he has a burning hatred for the NCAA Transfer Portal and that flame is not soon burning out.

The white-hot rage this man has for the portal is something else.

So when a reporter asked him about the transfer portal plans on Tuesday ahead of Friday's Sweet 16 matchup with Ole Miss, you can imagine he wasn't please. Actually, he was straight up angry.

Izzo's response to the portal question had him fired up in a way that I haven't seen him with reporters in years. And to me, that's a great sign.

Obviously Izzo is worried about the road ahead and not which players might be available for him in the transfer portal in the coming weeks because, like he said, he's not even sure what his roster is going to look like when the season officially ends.

Izzo doesn't know who's leaving or who's coming back. He doesn't know who he'll have his eye on in the portal and probably doesn't even know anyone who's currently in it.

This man is focused on creating a lifetime of memories for his players.

If you're a parent of a recruit who is looking to play for a national title contender and who wants to be coached hard and you see a video like this, you have to be dying to send your kid to Michigan State. What other coaches say these kinds of things? There are coaches currently in the Sweet 16 who are actively recruiting the portal and even some who have lost kids to it mid-tourney run.

Izzo isn't focused on anything but the guys who have given their all to this team this year and there's something refreshing about that.