Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo is 'extremely valuable,' especially in March, says MSU legend Shawn Respert

Photo: Wikimedia Commons


By Adam Biggers
@AdamBiggers81

The value of a great coach can never be underestimated, especially during the NCAA Tournament.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State's head coach, is renowned for his sideline savvy and ability to get the most out of his players—and that becomes all the more evident each March when Izzo, who has coached his way to a national title and six Final Fours, continuously has his Spartans in the hunt for glory.

For the 10th time during his tenure, Izzo has Michigan State, the West Region's top-seeded team, in the Sweet 16. He's two wins away from the 2012 Final Four in New Orleans, but first has to derail Rick Pitino's fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals on Thursday in Phoenix.

Izzo's presence alone is probably worth at least a few points each game. He knows what to do, and when to do it. Far from just a coach, Izzo is an institution—a figurehead of the hardwood worth his weight in gold come March Madness.

"He's extremely valuable," said Spartans legend Shawn Respert, who remembers Izzo as a determined assistant under the iconic Jud Heathcote.

In the trenches year-in and year-out, Izzo's mastery of managing talent is quite difficult to contend with. Out-witting "Mr. March" is nearly as challenging as winning the tournament itself. It's safe to assume that potential opposing coaches would rather see the Spartans bow out early than devise a game plan to knock Izzo out of his comfort zone.

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"He's been (to the NCAA Tournament) 15 straight times and has 17 years of head coaching experience—he's at the point where he's seen it all," Respert said. "You're not going to surprise Tom Izzo with a new offense or new out-of-bounds plays."

At times, however, Michigan State doesn't benefit from Izzo's tact for Xs and Os. Instead, players reap reward from digesting what they're told and making their own wise decisions on the court.

"Coach Izzo's magic is that it's not about him knowing it all—it's how he can relate that (to players)," said Respert, who now works for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves as a player mentor and developer. "That's where Michigan State sets itself apart from a team that makes the tournament every now and then."

Follow Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.

Draymond Green is the 'epitome' of great Michigan State Spartans basketball players, says MSU legend Shawn Respert

Photo: Associated Press via MLive.com

Photo: CoachIzzo.com


By Adam Biggers
@AdamBiggers81

Michigan State Spartans basketball followers have already dubbed senior Draymond Green as one of the program's greatest players, and his career hasn't even ended.

Coach Tom Izzo has spoken highly of Green, who won the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year Award and is in the running for the 2012 Naismith Award, given annually to the country's top player.

Fans, media, coaches, and analysts alike, all agree that "Day-Day" is a special talent. But don't take their word for it—because in such a case, perhaps the old saying "It takes one to know one" comes into play.

Enter Shawn Respert, who is without a doubt a Michigan State legend. He holds the program's career-scoring record with 2,531 points and was voted as The Sporting News' Player of the Year in 1995. Many view Respert as the premier pure scorer to ever wear a Michigan State jersey.

Respert, who was a two-time All-American, is well aware of his former school's rich basketball history, citing players like Scott Skiles, Eric Snow, Steve Smith, Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser, among others, as the benchmark players in Michigan State lore.

And when it comes to the discussion of Michigan State's best-of-the-best, Respert's opinion carries an elephant's weight.

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"I think Draymond is the epitome when we talk about Spartans greats," Respert said Monday. "He came in is as a highly-touted recruit, but there was nothing that would guarantee that he'd have the type of career he has had.

"He continued to improve and make his teammates better. That's the key when you talk about Spartans basketball—the guys who come in and blue-collar their way to greatness. I have a huge level of respect for him."

Green has essentially put the Spartans on his back during the NCAA Tournament, serving as a do-all tool which has the Spartans in the Sweet 16 for the 10th time under Coach Izzo. Michigan State, top-seeded in the West Region, has the opportunity to make it to the Final Four in New Orleans, but it has to first oust the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals on Thursday in Phoenix.

Green opened March Madness with a triple-double last Friday against LIU-Brooklyn and promptly followed with a double-double in a hard-fought 65-61 victory Sunday over the ninth-seeded St. Louis Billikens.

Respert says that Kentucky's shot-blocking phenom freshman Anthony Davis might be the "best" player in the country when it comes to pure dominance at a single position. However, he says that Green is the most valuable to his team, and one of the most versatile.

Kentucky would likely survive and contend in the tournament without Davis, who is surrounded by four- and five-star recruits.

Green, on the other hand, transforms Michigan State from a "top 15 or 20 team" to a national contender. And for that, he should be greatly considered for the Naismith Award.

"Draymond Green gets a little bit of an edge in terms of value to a team that could be average without him," Respert said.

Seeing "Day-Day" excel on the court has been enjoyable for Respert. However, seeing Green flourish after his time at Michigan State—whether it be on the court in the NBA, or life in general—is what Respert looks forward to most.

"We want our guys to go out in the world and do great things, whatever it is," said Respert, who works for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves as a player mentor and developer. "He's a guy that you don't worry about being successful after the game basketball."

Follow Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81, or, reach him by e-mail at Adam.Biggers@Yahoo.com. Adam would like to extend a special "thank you" to Shawn Respert for taking time to talk Spartans basketball.

Michigan State Spartans legend Shawn Respert reflects on recruitment, meeting Tom Izzo for first time

This article originally appeared on Yahoo! Sports 

By Adam Biggers

Shawn Respert nearly didn't have the chance to become one of the greatest Michigan State Spartans basketball players. He could have easily went to play for a handful of other programs, but then-coach Jud Heathcote wasn't about to let him get away.

However, current Spartans coach Tom Izzo (who was then an assistant) and former assistant Stan Joplin weren't immediately sold.

Initially, says Respert, now 39, Heathcote and his staff were interested in Parish Hickman, a teammate of his at Redford Bishop Borgess High. Hickman was recruited a year earlier as one of the top players in Michigan, but he urged Heathcote to take a look at Respert in 1989-90.

"Coach Heathcote was a little more keen about looking at me and bringing me as a possible addition to the team," Respert said.

Joplin and Izzo brought in Eric Snow, who paired with Respert in the Spartans' backcourt in the early 1990s. They were nearly unstoppable, and arguably the best tandem of guards to ever play at Michigan State. One could argue that such is true regarding the Big Ten.

However, Snow's status was being considered, too. The coaches met, finally making a decision that greatly impacted the history of Spartans basketball.

"They funny thing is, when they brought us in, they would lobby with each other, and then they just figured to take the both of us," Respert said, laughing.

Not to say that Izzo wasn't immediately struck by Respert's talent, but he probably couldn't have imagined that Respert, a 6-foot-1 shooting guard, would go on to become the school's career scoring leader (2,531 points), national and Big Ten player of the year, as well as a first-round NBA draft pick in 1995.
Eventually, Izzo warmed up to Respert, and the two formed a great relationship.

"I knew that he was excited to have me up there," Respert said. "He spent a lot of time getting to know me; he didn't owe me anything. He didn't have to sit there; he could have stuck with the guy he recruited (Snow) and been loyal to his player.

"Tom was selfless and able to say 'Hey, whatever it takes for us to win.' He was just like 'Whomever needs to play; who can help us win - get him out there. "

Izzo made Respert's transition from high school all the more comfortable. Izzo told Respert that he'd get a fair shot, and Respert respected Izzo's honesty.

"That's a tough transition for student-athletes to make," Respert said. "He had that charisma."

Heathcote's "blueprint was already there," says Respert. When Izzo took over in 1995, he already had 12 years experience working under Heathcote. He expanded on what Heathcote established in East Lansing, winning a national title in 2000 (MSU's second; 1979) and making six trips to the Final Four.

In the middle-late 1990s and early 2000s, Izzo landed some of his best classes of talent, which included Mateen Cleaves, Jason Richardson, Morris Peterson and Charlie Bell. Whether it was a five-star recruit, or a virtual unknown, Izzo always got the most out of his players.

"(Izzo) injected the ability to have these great athletes come in and play in a successful system that was built on quality shooting," Respert said. "We were always one of those teams that was going to be near the top in field goal percentage and rebounding."

Respert said Izzo "got athletes plugged in" positions they could properly showcase their abilities and "understood what need to be done to get that program to the next level.

"And he did it."

This is one of a series of upcoming pieces on Spartans legend Shawn Respert, who today, works with the Minnesota Timberwolves' player development department.

Adam Biggers can be reached by e-mail at Adam.Biggers@Yahoo.com, or, by Twitter @AdamBiggers81.

Note: Respert and I interviewed for over an hour-and-a-half Wednesday, Dec. 7. We talked about much more than Spartans basketball, delving deep into his personal story. Respert has been at the highest of summits and, at times, the lowest of valleys. His determination and never-say-die attitude are truly remarkable and admirable.

The below video highlights Respert's spirited performance during a 73-71 win over the Michigan Wolverines in 1995.