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Tom Izzo: Former Michigan State basketball star Keith Appling murder charges 'sad'

EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo tried four years ago to help Keith Appling get his life back on track after a series of gun charges derailed his potential NBA future.

Over the past few months, the Michigan State basketball coach again attempted to aid his former player as legal problems grew. But Izzo said he never anticipated Appling would be accused of murder.

“I'm trying to reserve, trying not to do what the world does and make him guilty until he's proven it,” Izzo said Wednesday, a day before Appling’s scheduled arraignment. “And yet, everything I hear, it's not great.