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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is known for being visibly angry with his players during his years in East Lansing, but what happened Monday night against USC was different.
Izzo took out his frustration on a former player.
During the Spartans’ 80-51 win over the Trojans, Izzo was spotted unloading on former Michigan State center Paul Davis, who played for the team from 2002-06, after causing a disturbance in the stands.
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Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on January 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
The referees flagged Davis, who was a spectator, from his courtside seat after he was among many in the building who disagreed with a call in the second half. Davis stood up and yelled at referee Jeffrey Anderson.
Anderson responded with a loud whistle, stopping play and pointing at Davis. Then Anderson went to Izzo to explain what happened, and the 70-year-old coach went crazy.
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First, he was waving at Davis, and it was clear he asked his former center, “What the hell are you doing?”
Davis was greeted by someone asking him to leave his seat, and that’s when Izzo went crazy. He shouted “Get out of here!” to Davis, who appeared to gesture toward Izzo, perhaps to apologize for disrupting the game.
Izzo was asked about Davis’ ejection after the match.
“What he said, he should never say anywhere in the world,” Izzo responded when asked what happened. “It pissed me off. So, just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought about it. And you know what he’ll say? ‘I screwed up, coach. I’m sorry.'”
Izzo quickly clarified that what Davis said “wasn’t something racial” and “it wasn’t something sexual.”
Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo protests a call that benefited the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on Dec. 2, 2025. (Dale Young/Imagn Images)
“It just wasn’t the right thing to say, and I’ll leave it at that.”
Davis later met with reporters Tuesday, apologizing for his actions.
“I’m not here to make excuses. I’m here to take responsibility, fulfill them,” Davis said. It was a mistake that will never happen again. It was a mistake, it’s not me, but unfortunately last night it was.”
Izzo said Davis was one of his “favorite guys” when he played for the Spartans. He had an outstanding sophomore campaign with 15.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and two assists per game in 30 starts for Izzo during the 2003-04 season.
Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on January 2, 2026, in Lincoln, Neb. (Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
During his senior year, Davis averaged a career-high 17.5 points in 33 games.
He was selected in the second round of the 2006 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Davis only played four seasons in the league, his last with the Washington Wizards.
