Tom Izzo is a truly great college coach. But does he truly want to coach in the NBA?
UPDATED: 6:59 p.m.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Tom Izzo as the next coach of the Cavaliers?
Only if this is what the Michigan State coach, absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt, no-looking-back wants at this point in his life.
That's because hiring a lifetime college coach at the age of 55 is a major gamble for the Cavaliers. The track record of college coaches in the NBA may be worse than tricycles winning the Daytona 500.
Izzo may be the best college coach today. What else can you say about a coach who has led six teams to the NCAA Final Four since 1999? He knows how to recruit. He knows how to teach. He knows how to motivate his players to win big games.
But does he know how to win in the NBA? No one knows that answer, not even Izzo.
He's never been in the league in any capacity. He's never had to surrender complete control of his schedule, as college coaches often have input in picking non-league opponents.
A college coach also selects his own roster. He isn't stuck with an aging star or a disgruntled talent because of the huge contract and the salary cap -- meaning it's impossible to cut or trade the guy for months.
Nor had Izzo ever coached a player who is making more money than he does -- a common occurrence in the NBA where the average salary is $5.5 million. The average NBA coach survives about three years with the same team. It's why Mike Brown used to quote Spurs coach Gregg Popovich when saying that James or another star, "allows me to coach him."
In college, Izzo is called Coach. In the pros, he will be Tom.
Most college coaches are control freaks. The pros quickly teach you how little is under your control. If an owner allows a college coach to select players, is that a wise idea? What background does he have in really knowing what players thrive in the NBA?
Izzo has been courted and rejected the NBA before, serious offers coming from Atlanta and Detroit. While he wishes Michigan State would be mentioned in the same breath with high-profile programs such as Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Duke -- he seems pretty content making $3 million a year in East Lansing.
Izzo consistently takes good talent and makes it great by preaching unselfishness and defense with an iron will and demanding practices. Most of his former players do love the guy, but there was more than a little fear when they played for Izzo.
Is he the right coach for the Cavs? An NBA executive told me, "If you have to pick between Mo Cheeks, Monty Williams, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott, some inexperienced NBA assistants -- or Izzo -- you may go with Tom. But he has to be fully committed. Also, he has to have LeBron James, or why do it?"
Who knows where James is in this question. The Cavs can talk to him. Perhaps owner Dan Gilbert has done just that, although he denies it. But it's doubtful James will commit to Gilbert, Izzo or anyone else at this point.
The history of NBA coaches whose primary experience is college is dismal. The failures include Rick Pitino, John Calipari, Lon Kruger, Mike Montgomery, P.J. Carlisimo and Jerry Tarkanian. You can mention Larry Brown, but first he was a pro player in the old American Basketball Association, then coached in the ABA before making some college stops.
You probably have to spin back to the 1960s and 1970s with Bill Fitch, Dick Motta, Cotton Fitzsimmons and John MacLeod to find some success stories.
If Izzo takes the job, it can't be because of the money. This has to be his dream job because it will require an attitude adjustment. He should hire a veteran NBA assistant -- perhaps a former head coach -- to give advice. If James returns, it will mean that the coach wins because of his star. When the team loses, it's the fault of the coach.
Both the Cavs and Izzo must be sure that he's emotionally ready for a league where winning comes from so much more than just knowing your Xs and Os.