Detroit — Every year, Oakland’s Greg Kampe and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo wear Christmas sweaters for their December game between the Golden Grizzles and Spartans.
This year’s may be an all-timer. As they stood on the sidelines for Saturday’s game at Little Caesars Arena, both wore sweaters adorned with reindeer and basketballs. Kampe’s reads “Nice List” while he fist-bumped a referee. Izzo, meanwhile, made the “Naughty List” and is shown getting a technical foul from a ref.
Usually, Kampe is the one who picks out the sweaters, and Izzo plays nice wearing them. Like last year, when the two wore fuzzy, green Grinch sweaters. Fitting for a grumpy basketball coach, though one of many themes the sweaters have hit on include an elf sweater in 2022, when Izzo got a technical foul.
“I mean, I feel like an idiot half the time,” Izzo said Thursday. “How would you like to be Grinch and get a T?”
Well, maybe that was a little foreshadowing for this year’s outfits. This year, Izzo got to pick the sweaters out. He enlisted his wife, Lupe, and a beach house neighbor who designs clothing. She offered to make them a pair of sweaters to wear, yielding the two they wore Saturday.
The sweaters will be auctioned off for charity after the game.
cearegood@detroitnews.com
@ConnorEaregood
