Remember the top 25 March Madness heroes of all-time

Top 25 March Madness heroes of all-time

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 02: Kemba Walker #15 of the Connecticut Huskies celebrates after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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Michigan State player Irvin Magic Johnson sitting on shoulders of teammates while cutting down net after winning NCAA championships(Photo by Rich Clarkson/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images) /

Magic Johnson was one of the most exciting players in NCAA history and became one of the best NBA players of all time, spending his professional days with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Before he won title after title with the Lakers, he helped lead Michigan State to its first-ever national title in 1979 ever undefeated Indiana State and Larry Bird — the two had a budding rivalry which continued in the NBA as Bird played for the Celtics.

Magic returned for his sophomore year to help lead the Spartans to the national title game and he did just what he set out to do.

In that magical, no pun intended, NCAA Tournament run which made him a national hero, he averaged 21.8 points, 10 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game. He even recorded two triple-doubles on the way to the title game against Bird. He was arguably the best player on the floor at all times and many credit the matchup of Bird and Magic in the 1979 title game for putting college basketball on the map.

Moreover, the 1979 National Championship was one of the most viewed in college basketball history at the time.

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