Sitting in Michigan State’s practice gym last week, Tom Izzo is answering the questions as they come at him. Topics he’s addressed hundreds of times over the years. But then the topic turns to recruiting and Izzo takes a deep breath.

This is the new stuff.

The stuff he doesn’t like.

And if Izzo doesn’t like something, he’ll certainly let you know it.

When asked by Spartans Illustrated’s Justin Rose if he’s had a change of perspective in recruiting over the last few years, Izzo’s voice slows a little bit.

Asked how he might be reshaping his approach to recruiting – with the transfer portal, NIL, and other changes in college basketball – the first words out of his mouth set the stage for what’s to come.

“I think if anybody answered that with real knowledge, they’d be lying to you,” Izzo said. “Because I don’t think any of us have a clue what we’re doing.”

Izzo then tells the stories of his visits to multiple high school tournaments over the Christmas break, where he was visiting future prospects. He was in Florida and out to the East Coast. He went to Ohio, Indiana, and Chicago as well. It was the same everywhere he went.