Winston’s Record-Breaking Season Fuels Spartan Run to Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS – It's nearly impossible to define All-American point guard Cassius Winston's game. Crafty. Smart. Unorthodox. "Old man."

So first, let's start with the facts to help put his record-breaking 2018-19 season in perspective.

Winston is just the second player in Michigan State history, joining Morris Peterson in 2000, to win Big Ten Player of the Year, Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Regional Most Outstanding Player and earn first-team All-America honors in the same season.

He's the first player in Michigan State history to be named Big Ten Player of the Week five times in one year.

And he's dished out more assists in one season (289) than any previous player in the history of Big Ten basketball.

In terms of scoring and assists, Winston's junior year (18.9 ppg, 7.6 apg) compares to the best seasons of previous All-Americans Magic Johnson (17.1 ppg, 8.4 apg in 1978-79), Scott Skiles (27.4 ppg, 6.5 apg in 1985-86), Mateen Cleaves (16.1 ppg, 7.2 apg in 1997-98) and Denzel Valentine (19.2 ppg, 7.8 apg in 2015-16).

These numbers and accolades help clarify the rarified air that Winston is breathing. He's already in the pantheon of all-time Spartan greats.

But for those that know him best, there's a deeper appreciation for what Winston brings to the court and his team. His calm demeanor and sense of command not only for the game, but also with his teammates, is proving to be the ultimate winning combination for Michigan State during its Big Ten Championship season and run to the Final Four.

"We wouldn't be here without Cassius Winston, there's no question about it," said MSU head coach Tom Izzo, who has coached nine All-Americans during his Spartan tenure. "When I did recruit him as a freshman and sophomore in high school, I said I thought he could be the best passer, the best basketball IQ guy since Magic Johnson. I really did believe that, told my staff that, but I didn't think he could shoot it and do those things like he did…So he's impressed me in a lot of ways."

"His IQ is definitely up there," said senior guard Matt McQuaid. "He's a very smart basketball player. He always knows when to make the right plays. He has great timing with when to score, when to pass. He's just a great, smart basketball player and he can do a lot of different things."

04.05.19_MSU MBB FINAL FOUR DAY 2

Whether it's finding an open teammate, hitting a floating jumper in the paint, sliding a way through the lane, or making a clutch basket down the stretch, Winston's poise has been on full display all season long, but especially in the NCAA Tournament, where he's averaging 19.0 points, 7.8 assists and 37.5 minutes per game.

His 20-point, 10-assist performance in the Elite Eight win over Duke, a feat accomplished by just two other Spartans in an NCAA Tournament game (and those names would be Magic Johnson and Draymond Green), drew high praise from the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history.

"I thought Winston was a difference-maker," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had to watch Winston run out the clock on the Blue Devils' season. "He's the best guard we've played against…I mean, he's a big-time player.

"I was impressed just with how well he was able to not just handle the pressure, but still run his team. He had as good a performance as any player has had against us."

Another Blue Devil was equally as impressed.

"He's not someone who overwhelms you with his speed or explosiveness, but (he) just has a tremendous feel," commented CBS analyst and former Duke All-American Grant Hill earlier this week on SiriusXM. "He never gets rattled, and just kind of plays the angles. Knows how to get by people. He's as good of a point guard as I've seen in quite some time. He always seemed to step up for his team when they needed him."

As a point guard, Winston has naturally been thrust into a leadership position during his career, but he's fully embraced the role this season. He was named a captain by Izzo prior to the first Michigan game on Feb. 24 because the 24-year Spartan head coach thought it was Winston's time to step up. Call it a pretty good hunch on Izzo's part. Since that decision, MSU is 10-1, including three victories over top-10 Michigan that resulted in Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, along with a run to the Final Four.

"I think the greatest thing about it is he's earned his way," said Izzo. "He's gone through the process. He's gone through a tough year. He's made some commitments to himself and the program. You know, you watch the growth."

All week long, Izzo has talked about wanting to be in those smaller, elite fraternities that feature only a few select people. Like winning a second national championship as a head coach. Or in Winston's case, becoming the third Spartan point guard to lead Michigan State University to the pinnacle of the college basketball world. Right now, that group only involves Magic Johnson and Mateen Cleaves.

"That would mean a lot," said Winston, who listened intently when Magic gave the pregame speech against Duke. "Those are the greats, definitely. Gotta be top two. So just to be up there with those guys, to get a national championship for this program, that's something you can't replace."

"I think whenever you're compared to people in a leadership role that have done it at the ultimate level, and that's winning a championship, I think that alone is the greatest attribute," remarked Izzo. "You know, they're all different. One's real strong, one's real tall, and they're all real smart. So they're different kind of players, but the bottom line to all three of them and what's made us so successful this year, winning is important, and nobody cares who gets the credit.

"For superstars to handle themselves that way, I'm blessed that I get to coach them. I'm blessed that I got to coach Mateen, and I'm blessed that I have Magic giving my pregame talk. So I got it all the way around the board. It's a hell of a deal."

Winston's leadership skills have now caught up to his game on the court. And that's what he's been enjoying the most about this season.

"That's the best part about it – just to have them by my side, having them at all these games with me," Winston said of his teammates. "We're doing this together. That's the best part. When they come on the trips they spend a lot of time in my hotel room kicking it with me and things like that. That's who I'm really doing it all for. Makes it all that much sweeter."

It's all led to one more weekend of basketball in Minneapolis with an opportunity to win a national championship.