Georgia basketball coach Tom Crean shares strong feelings on Tom Izzo outburst
ATHENS — Georgia coach Tom Crean didn’t waste any time sharing where he stood on how Tom Izzo coached up a player in NCAA Tournament action on Thursday.
Izzo is heated 👀#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/2GLxSAFxR0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2019
Crean, who coached with Izzo at Michigan State as a graduate assistant (1989-90) and as one of Izzo’s assistants (1995-99), took to Twitter early Friday morning before many others had weighed in on the trending topic.
There are many different tenets to Tom Izzo’s leadership style. Demanding, challenging, fiery, detailed , persevering and confronting come to mind. None bigger though than LOVE. Love wears many different faces and speaks in many different tones. Love is being a Driver and a giver
— Tom Crean (@TomCrean) March 22, 2019
Love pushes you and hugs you. Tom Izzo makes everyone around him accountable and responsible. I’ve been gone 20 years from his staff and there is many a day I wish he’d tell and yell at me again. It always made me better.
— Tom Crean (@TomCrean) March 22, 2019
It’s interesting to note that Crean and Izzo became rivals during Crean’s tenure at Indiana (2008-17).
RELATED: A look at Tom Crean through eyes of mentor Tom Izzo
Izzo, who coaches the same style in the open practices that media regularly attend, doubled down on his coaching style after his team beat Bradley in its NCAA tourney game.
Tom Izzo was asked about getting after Aaron Henry.
“I don’t know what kind of business you’re in, but I tell ya what, if I was a head of a newspaper, and you didn’t do your job, you’d be held accountable.” pic.twitter.com/kqcWykUY6X
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 21, 2019
Spartans freshman Aaron Henry, the player involved, took to social media to show he supports his coach’s intent.
— aaron henry (@henny2x) March 22, 2019
Several former Michigan State players reached out in support of Izzo on social media, too, as well as former Auburn star and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
Barkley on Izzo – “jackasses on other networks” haha I concur !!! pic.twitter.com/v5cksYy3Pi
— Scott Dryden (@BrownsScout) March 22, 2019
Stop being soft 🤷🏽♂️ https://t.co/1Aa9RUyOkU
— Miles Bridges (@MilesBridges) March 22, 2019
So coaches cant yell at players now? Lol Izz cares about his players more than half these other college coaches. 600+ wins for a reason. #GoGreen
— Gary Harris (@thats_G_) March 22, 2019
U gotta wanna be pushed from a coach to bring out everything you can do💯🗣it’ll only help u
— Jaren Jackson Jr. (@jarenjacksonjr) March 22, 2019
I think it is ABSURD to make a story out of TOM IZZO getting on a player because he wasn’t playing at the level that Izzo expected !
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 22, 2019
