Apr 30, 2014 12:42 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Tom Izzo tried to be as clear as possible when he said he is returning to Michigan State next season.

Speaking on ESPNU's college basketball podcast, the Spartans coach also said he would not close the door on any future possibilities. Earlier this month, Izzo, Florida coach Billy Donovan and Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg were mentioned to be targets in the Minnesota Timberwolves coaching search.

"First of all I'm going to be at Michigan State,'' Izzo told Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg Wednesday. "Nobody knows where any of us are going to be. You have to look at your track record and over all these years is this what he's done?"

He compared his situation to Nick Saban's several years ago. During the end of his tenure as head football coach of the Miami Dolphins, Saban specifically stated the rumors suggesting he was planning on taking the Alabama coaching job were false.

Izzo said the first thing he did when he heard the rumors of his potential transition to the NBA this offseason was "laugh." He said he knows his name will be mentioned whenever there is an opening in the NBA, as will Donovan's and Kentucky coach John Calipari's.

"If somebody made me an offer to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers that was so good that it would impress everybody, does that mean I would never say never? I'm not doing that anymore," Izzo said. "I've seen too many people get stung that way. But put it this way, I've got a big-time recruit coming in an hour and if I was leaving I wouldn't be recruiting.''

Izzo, who considered taking the Cleveland Cavaliers' coaching job in 2010, said it is unfair for TV personalities and pundits to criticize coaches for leaving their job for a better salary.

"The NBA is the NBA and it's the top of our profession,'' said Izzo. "Everybody is going to take care of their family. The only thing that disappoints me about college is that we're getting like the NBA, money, TV contracts and the way we're doing things with expansion of leagues and traveling all over the world."

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