Before Magic Johnson became the headline act in Los Angeles, he spent two years at Michigan State where he led them to the elite 8 in 1978 and the national championship in 1979. In 1979 he faced future rival and hall of famer Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores. Johnson went on to be the number one pick in the NBA draft. Magic is considered one of the greatest point guards of all time. The instrumental is The Coolest by Lupe Fiasco. All song credit goes to him.
Michigan State’s “Spartan Dischords” male acapella group (A fine blend of harmony and humor) sing with the great Magic Johnson on Rick Reilly’s “Homecoming” special on 12/14/10 on ESPN – from historic Jenison Fieldhouse.
AmericaJR.com’s Jason Rzucidlo reports from inside the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. Watch for highlights from the morning commencement ceremony on Dec. 11, 2010. You’ll see remarks from NBA Champion and former MSU graduate Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. He was awarded an honorary degree from the Eli Broad College of Business. Johnson was a point guard for MSU and then he went on to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Michigan State, coached by Jud Heathcote, won the national title with a 75-64 victory in the final game over Indiana State, coached by Bill Hodges. Magic Johnson of Michigan State was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The final game marked the beginning of the rivalry between future Hall of Famers Johnson and Larry Bird. To this day, it remains the highest-rated game in the history of televised college basketball. Both Magic and Bird would enter the NBA in the fall of 1979, and the rivalry between them and their teams (respectively, the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics) was a major factor in the league’s renaissance in the 1980s and 1990s. The game also led to the “modern era” of college basketball, as it introduced a nationwide audience to a sport that was once relegated to second-class status in the sports world. This was the first tournament in which all teams were seeded by the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. The top six seeds in each regional received byes to the second round, while seeds 7-10 played in the first round.
Michigan State, coached by Jud Heathcote, won the national title with a 75-64 victory in the final game over Indiana State, coached by Bill Hodges. Magic Johnson of Michigan State was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. The final game marked the beginning of the rivalry between future Hall of Famers Johnson and Larry Bird. To this day, it remains the highest-rated game in the history of televised college basketball. Both Magic and Bird would enter the NBA in the fall of 1979, and the rivalry between them and their teams (respectively, the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics) was a major factor in the league’s renaissance in the 1980s and 1990s. The game also led to the “modern era” of college basketball, as it introduced a nationwide audience to a sport that was once relegated to second-class status in the sports world. This was the first tournament in which all teams were seeded by the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. The top six seeds in each regional received byes to the second round, while seeds 7-10 played in the first round.
WatchMojo.com’s video profile on the Top 10 NCAA College Basketball Career’s of All Time, here we look at Earvin Magic Johnson – Michigan State Spartans.
Lansing Everett – Birmingham Brother Rice (1977) First 9 mins.
Approx 1987. KTNV TV Las Vegas. This is the day before UNLV vs. Michigan St Alumni Game in Las Vegas
Rare vintage recap of the 1979 NCAA Championship game between Magic and Larry.