While Others Recruit, Michigan State's Tom Izzo Keeps Coaching

As we approach the 2009 National Championship game for NCAA men’s basketball, I feel as if we’re watching two totally different programs face off.

I can’t help but think of the lopsided 35-point game earlier in this season between North Carolina and Michigan State.

Surely this topsy-turvy year in college basketball won’t leave us with an anticlimactic championship game?

To believe such a game will ensue is to once again doubt the preparedness and teaching of Tom Izzo. This isn’t the same Spartan team from early December. And this isn’t just any other program.

Izzo has led his Spartan clubs to five Final Fours in the past 10 years, cutting down the nets in 2000. Two of those years since 1999 his squad narrowly missed (Elite Eight in 2003, Sweet Sixteen in 2008) doing so again.

Yet, I think many of us don’t rank Michigan State nor Tom Izzo in nearly as high regard as they deserve.

Many coaches look to get the best recruits. The best recruits are often All-Americans. What being an All-American does not measure is a young man’s heart, character, and will to win.

Not saying that All-Americans are entitled individuals and void of passion for the game, but deeming them “the best of the best” doesn’t always translate into team success.

Consider this: Izzo has been finding success since 2005 without a single high school All-American.

His counterpart in Monday night’s championship, Roy Williams, consistently heads the list of signing the most highly touted All-American high school players in the country.

In 2005, Williams brought in All-Americans Danny Green, Bobby Frasor, and Tyler Hansbrough. Danny Green has certainly panned out as one of the more important players for UNC. Hansbrough, as we all know, has lived up to all expectations; his personal accolades speak volumes.

Michigan State did not sign any high school players who played in the McDonald’s All-American game that year, however, 2005 brought another Final Four trip.

Roy Williams then landed one-and-done Brandan Wright, along with Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson in 2006.

Michigan State? No high school All-American signees.

Both the Heels and Spartans did not sign any All-Americans. This is probably because much of Williams’ scholarship money was on hold as, to his current pleasure, Ellington, Green, Lawson, and Hansbrough all returned.

The next year in 2008 saw a return to normalcy as recruiting goes, with Roy Williams signing three All-Americans—Ed Davis, Tyler Zeller, and Larry Drew.

Michigan State? Well, you surely get the picture by now.

As I perused this year’s All-American game, UNC is putting scholarship money to good use, signing four of their future players who are participating in the 2009 McDonald’s High School All-American game.

Williams hit the jackpot by getting a two for one deal: a pair of 6'10" twins from California.

Tom Izzo apparently isn’t that savvy a salesman as he made it five years in a row without a McDonald’s All-American.

If you look for yourself at the high school All-Americans now playing college basketball, you’ll notice a trend of teams consistently showing up other than Carolina.

I noticed Louisville with at least one or two each year. Their current status? Sent home convincingly by Izzo and company.

Kansas and Bill Self work hard to sign some of the best each year, having five over a two-year span between 2005 and 2006.

The Jayhawk's current status? Resting comfortably in Lawrence, courtesy of Izzo and MSU.

Wait a minute: Self is probably frequenting some obscure AAU tournament to find the next big thing.

We’ve all heard the allegations surrounding Jim Calhoun and the UConn Huskies. His school’s name never fails to show up on the All-American list. His vacation was started early thanks to—you already know it—Michigan State and Tom Izzo.

So what makes a great coach?

Kentucky lured John Calipari away from Memphis for a record salary because he can “recruit the best.” Very true. He’s brought in the two most coveted point guards the past two years in Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans (and most have him snatching up John Wall this year).

He had a heck of a class coming in once again for next year, most of which analysts say will follow him to Kentucky. But how’s his coaching?

As others tirelessly recruit and flash alluring eyes toward the nation’s best high school players, Tom Izzo continues to do the one thing he was hired to do year after year: coach.

Pickin' Splinters