Michigan State’s Henry downplays exchange with Izzo
DES MOINES, Iowa — Michigan State freshman Aaron Henry doesn’t know what all the fuss is about.
Coach Tom Izzo’s heated exchange with him on the court during the second-seeded Spartans’ first-round 76-65 victory over No. 15 Bradley on Thursday has drawn wide attention on social media and from pundits opining about the coach’s fiery methods.
But Henry, who played 29 minutes and scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds, said Friday that it was just Izzo being Izzo.
“No abuse was done. Nothing bad was done. It was just coaching,” he said. “That’s what he is, that’s his life, that’s his job. Coaching. You can’t be upset how he does it.”
TV cameras caught Izzo laying into Henry as he came off the court during a timeout, and players stepped in to separate the two in the team huddle. Izzo said after the game that he was upset with the level of effort Henry was showing at the time.
“My parents loved my response. I didn’t show disrespect or fight back,” he said. “Not that I wanted to, which in this period in general, most people would have in this generation. Not me.”
Henry said he doesn’t doubt that Izzo has faith in him. After all, he is a freshman starting for one of the top teams in the country and playing about 30 minutes a game the last month.
Said Izzo: “There’s a 10-second sound bite in a two-year relationship (with Henry). To me, it was ridiculous the way it blew up. I just would publicly thank the many, many people that saw it as ridiculous.”