Michigan State basketball: All-time starting 5 – From Magic to Mateen

1. G Magic Johnson (1977-1979)

It would take a special player to push Cleaves off the point on Michigan State basketball’s all-time team, but no one will question giving the ball to Magic Johnson. The most-talented player to ever wear a Michigan State basketball uniform, Johnson ended up having a transformative impact on the game of basketball.

The 6-foot-9 Johnson was a very popular recruit, drawing interest from schools like Indiana and UCLA, but he opted to stay home at Michigan State when Jud Heathcoate promised Johnson a chance to play point guard. The Spartans were already a talented team at the time, but Johnson’s arrival helped push them over the top.

Johnson was a hit as a freshman, averaging 17 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game to help Michigan State basketball advance to the Elite Eight. The Spartans ended up losing to Kentucky there, setting the stage for an epic run in 1979.

As a sophomore, Johnson brought Michigan State basketball to the national championship game, where they faced off with an unbeaten Indiana State squad featuring his future NBA rival Larry Bird. Johnson out-dueled Bird and helped the Spartans win their first national championship, capping an outstanding year that included Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four and a spot on the All-American first team.

That contest was the most-watched basketball game in history and led to Johnson being picked first overall in the 1979 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would go on to redefine what it meant to be a point guard. Johnson is the unquestioned star of our all-time Spartans’ squad and could be an incredible playmaker with this talented supporting cast.

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