From Lansing to East Lansing

Earvin Johnson Jr. grew up in Lansing, Michigan and starred at Everett High School (where his nickname “Magic” was given to him as a high school sophomore by Lansing State Journal sportswriter Fred Stabley Jr.). He chose Michigan State — 10 minutes from his childhood home — over UCLA, Indiana, and Marquette, partly because head coach Jud Heathcote ran an offense built around a 6’9″ point guard.

Magic’s freshman year (1977-78) ended with Michigan State winning the Big Ten and reaching the Elite Eight before losing to Kentucky. He averaged 17 points and 7.9 assists. His sophomore year, the Spartans were ranked #2 in the country with him averaging 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists.

Magic vs Bird, March 26, 1979

The 1979 NCAA championship game was Michigan State (#3 seed coming in) vs Indiana State (#1 seed, 33-0 entering the title game). It was Magic’s first nationally-televised showcase and Larry Bird’s last college game. NBC drew a 24.1 Nielsen rating — still the highest-rated college basketball broadcast ever, and one of the highest-rated sporting events of any kind in the 1970s.

Magic’s Spartans won 75-64. Bird, double-teamed all night by a Spartans defense built around 6’8″ Greg Kelser, shot 7-of-21 from the floor for 19 points. Magic had 24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists. The two played each other in the NBA Finals three times in the 1980s (1984, 1985, 1987), with the Lakers winning two of three.

From #1 overall to immediate Finals MVP

Magic declared for the 1979 NBA Draft after his sophomore year. The Los Angeles Lakers had the #1 overall pick via a 1976 trade with the New Orleans Jazz (in compensation for Gail Goodrich’s free-agency signing). The Lakers took Magic; the next four picks were David Greenwood (#2 to Chicago), Bill Cartwright (#3 to Knicks), Greg Kelser (#4 — Magic’s MSU teammate — to Detroit), and Sidney Moncrief (#5 to Milwaukee).

Magic’s rookie year ended with the Lakers winning the 1980 NBA championship — and Magic, just 20 years old, playing center in Game 6 with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar injured. He had 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and won the Finals MVP as a rookie. Michigan State retired Magic’s #33 in 1979.

Background facts cross-referenced with the Wikipedia article on Magic Johnson and Pro-Football-Reference / Basketball-Reference public records. Lead image via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).