Michigan State University Athletics
Heathcote And Johnson Inducted Into College Hall On Sunday
11/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Former Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote and Spartan All-American Earvin "Magic" Johnson will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday night (Nov. 22) in Kansas City. The two Spartans will be joined by former players Larry Bird (Indiana State), Travis Grant (Kentucky State) and Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma), former coach Gene Bartow, and contributors Walter Byers and Bill Wall. The induction ceremony will be covered on SIRIUS XM Radio (SIRIUS-122/XM-143) from 9-11 p.m. ET. The event will be taped by ESPNU and broadcast on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m.
"I'm so happy for both Jud and Magic," said MSU coach Tom Izzo. "Jud was more than just a wins and losses coach. I think people appreciate what he did for the game of basketball and that's going to be his legacy. It's going to be the coaching and his relationships with coaches; the fact he always helped coaches, and the fact that he always cared about what was best for the game, not necessarily what was best for him.
"And of course Magic helped redefine the point guard position. He made the pass an exciting part of the game. And although he always played with style, winning was always most important to him. I'm so happy that Magic and Jud could go into the Hall in the same class."
Heathcote finished his 19-year coaching career as Michigan State's all-time winningest coach with 340 victories, capturing three Big Ten titles and the 1979 NCAA Championship. He coached seven All-Americans, 15 All-Big Ten honorees and 23 NBA Draft picks. The Spartans made 12 trips to the postseason under his direction, including nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Overall, Heathcote posted a 420-273 record in 24 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He began his head coaching career at the University of Montana in 1971, leading the Grizzlies to their first Big Sky Conference championship. Noted for his excellent defensive strategies, Heathcote earned national coach of the year honors in 1990. He has been a leader among college coaches, serving as president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and has won numerous national awards. One of the most entertaining coaches ever in the game, Heathcote's coaching tree is also extensive, including current Spartan coach Tom Izzo, Utah's Jim Boylen, Indiana's Tom Crean and Dayton's Brian Gregory. In addition, three former players have become NBA head coaches. A 2001 inductee into the MSU Hall of Fame, Heathcote received the NABC Golden Anniversary Award that same season.
Johnson was a member of the 1979 NCAA Championship team and a two-time All-American at Michigan State. Despite playing just two seasons at MSU, he totaled 1,059 points and 491 assists. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
The 6-foot-9 Johnson revolutionized the point guard position, leading the Spartans to a 25-5 mark as a freshman in 1977-78, capturing a Big Ten title and advancing to the Elite Eight. He averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists in his first year of college action, earning All-America accolades. One year later, he led the Spartans to the ultimate prize, averaging 17.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.4 assists as a sophomore. His 8.4 assist per game average is the highest in MSU history. Johnson was a consensus First-Team All-American in 1979, also earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four.
