Legendary basketball coach Tom Izzo praises Bills rookie WR: ‘I love him’

Keon Coleman’s path to the NFL wasn’t necessarily different than that of today’s typical second-round draft pick. A four-star recruit out of Opelousas Catholic School in Louisiana’s Acadiana region, the wide receiver initially committed to Michigan State, appearing in 22 games and catching 65 passes during his two-year stint with the Spartans before transferring to Florida State for his junior season. He scored 11 touchdowns during his lone campaign in Tallahassee, prompting the Buffalo Bills to select him with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

There’s an interesting quirk to Coleman’s career, though, one that sets him apart from other rookies: He was briefly a dual-sport college athlete. A high school basketball star who averaged 26.0 points per game as a junior, the big-boned athlete was also recruited by Michigan State to play on the hardwood. He appeared in six games for the Spartans basketball team during the 2021-22 season and developed a relationship with legendary basketball coach Tom Izzo that remains as strong today as it was when Coleman played for the nearly 30-year veteran.

Izzo, a former national champion who led the Spartans to eight Final Four appearances, knows a special athlete when he sees one. Coleman checked all the boxes; Izzo recalls watching his high school tape and talking about that experience during a recent interview with WIVB’s Josh Reed.

Related: Forgotten receiver proves Bills’ Josh Allen doesn’t need Stefon Diggs

“I said, damn it!” Izzo joked. “But Kansas tried to get him a little bit, too. I told our football coach at the time, yeah, I’m going to recruit him, and I’ve looked at them, and I’ve looked at film on him.”

Coleman has long prioritized football over basketball and was never able to fully commit all of his resources to basketball as a result. Izzo believes that’s the one thing that’s held the athlete back from becoming a more impactful player for his program, telling Reed that Coleman “could have played basketball here if basketball was his sport.” The two agreed that it would be wise for Coleman to focus solely on football ahead of the 2022-23 basketball season, and the receiver transferred to Florida State shortly after.

Coleman’s decision, however, did not affect his relationship with the decorated coach, as the two still communicate regularly. According to Izzo, this is not necessarily a normal occurrence between a coach and a departed player.

“Keon, he’s an interesting guy,” Izzo told Reed. “He can be a little quirky and a little old-fashioned. But he’s a fun guy and a great player. He’s made some plays here in football, and even in basketball he’s very intelligent. Picks things up on the fly. He’s got a big heart; he left here, he left here, we had some problems with football. He left here when he was going into his junior year, but he came through here before he left. I tried to convince him to stay, but overall he’s a very loyal guy. He came back here for Senior Night, just for basketball.

“I think he’s going to be a great teammate, I think he’s going to be an unbelievable receiver. He’s got speed, he’s got power, he’s got great hops, and he can go up and get the ball. I know you’ve got a great quarterback, and I thought when you drafted him, I said ‘Wow, what a great fit for our boy Keon.’ I love him, I still stay in touch with him, which is weird when a kid leaves, I mean, he didn’t leave my program, he left football. I still stay in touch with him because I respect him, I respect his process, and I hope he has a long, great career and that all you Buffalo fans can go back (to) and win a Super Bowl.”

Izzo watches proudly from across Lake Erie as Coleman begins his NFL career, and even watched the rookie’s now-iconic introductory press conference where he professed his love of cookies and shared timely shopping tips. The former AP College Basketball Coach of the Year called Coleman after his humorous press conference and told him to slow down just a little bit.

“He would call me all the time, man,” Izzo said. “We just have a relationship and he’s got a personality, sometimes you just have to tone it down a little bit. When I saw his press conference, I just laughed. I called him and said, ‘Hey, calm down a little bit.’ (He said he’s) just having fun, and that’s what I think he is. I think he’s a guy that can have fun and still commit when it’s time to play.”

A resounding endorsement from one of the most decorated and accomplished coaches in college sports history is encouraging, regardless of the sport the coach favors. While Izzo didn’t get the chance to work with Coleman as long as he would have liked, he still supports the rookie as he begins his professional career in another Great Lakes region. Loyal Buffalo fans will get a chance to see Coleman lock horns for the first time when the Bills’ training camp begins July 24 at St. John Fisher University.

You can watch the full interview between Reed and Izzo below:

— Take advantage of free coverage of your bills Buffalo Bills on SI —