Latest news with #JudHeathcote
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"He's the one who really made me a perfectionist" - Magic Johnson praised the coach who brought all his 'Magic' out
"He's the one who really made me a perfectionist" - Magic Johnson praised the coach who brought all his 'Magic' out originally appeared on Basketball Network. Like most NBA all-time greats, Earvin Magic Johnson also had an impactful mentor in his career. He found his in Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote. According to Johnson, Heathcote played a pivotal role in his formative years as a player. He revealed that it was Heathcote who taught him the importance of mastering his craft and working on his expertise. As he reflected on his time with Heathcote, Johnson expressed his gratitude for how his former coach brought the best out of him. For the legendary point guard, there would be no "Magic" Johnson if it hadn't been for Heathcote. "I owe a lot to Jud Heathcote," Johnson said back in 2015. "He's the one who really made me a perfectionist. He brought all the Magic out. Jud was special, because Jud paid attention to every detail. He used to say, 'Earv, if you're going to take that leaping leaner (shot), we've got to practice it. So, let's practice it 200, 300 times a day.'" "I would come back after I turned pro, and he would hear the ball downstairs at Jenison (Field House), and I'd be shooting and shooting. He'd holler, 'E, I'm going to be down there in one second!' He would come down, put on his warm-up stuff, put on his sneakers and he'd get out there and work me out for two or three hours," he fondly recounted. "I never forget those days. I have the (video) tapes, so I put them in often and watch them, with those little short shorts," Johnson added. The person who made Magic realize he was special Johnson's legendary college basketball career proved that Heathcote really did a tremendous job honing his skills. Magic was able to translate everything he learned from Heathcote to on-court success. In his sophomore and final year at Michigan State, Johnson led the Spartans to a historic NCAA championship run. He won the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four award in the process. However, Heathcote wasn't the only influential figure in Johnson's amateur career. Magic also once credited his Everett High School in Lansing teammate and close friend Reggie Chastine for boosting his confidence as a player. As per Johnson, Chastine was the person who truly believed in his abilities, especially during the times when he doubted himself. "You have to say, 'I'm going to take all your best shots. I'm not looking to fight, but I'm looking to dominate you.' Reggie taught me that," Magic once revealed. "He was the first one who really believed in me. I doubted myself, but he was looking to big things...I needed that." Magic pays it forward For his part, Johnson did not let the influential figures in his career down. He went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Magic was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers where he quickly rose to superstardom. He helped the team win five NBA championships and went down as one of the greatest players in the history of the franchise. After his playing years, Johnson took it upon himself to pay it forward. He has already established himself as a great mentor for young players both on and off the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Former Tom Izzo and Jud Heathcote assistant coach hired as Phoenix Suns general manager
Former Tom Izzo and Jud Heathcote assistant coach hired as Phoenix Suns general manager There are a ton of connections between Michigan State basketball and the NBA's Phoenix Suns, with former walk-on Mat Ishbia buying the franchise in 2023. Now, those connections are growing stronger. The Suns are moving on from James Jones, who had been the team's general manager since 2019, and are promoting a former Tom Izzo and Jud Heathcote assistant into the position. Brian Gregory will assume the role as the team's general manager, getting promoted from his previous role as vice president. Gregory got his start in collegiate coaching under Heathcote, spending time on the Spartans bench from 1990-1996 before returning to Izzo's bench from 1999-2003 where he coached Ishbia. He then spent 2003-2023 as a collegiate head coach, spending time with Dayton, Georgia Tech and South Florida. Following his college coaching career, ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, Gregory was hired by the Suns as the vice president of player programming. After just one season in that role, he has been promoted as the team's general manager. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner
CBS News
28-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Michigan State basketball plays Sweet 16 March Madness 2025 game today. Here's what to know.
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team continues its 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday when it takes on Ole Miss in a Sweet 16 matchup in the South region. The No. 2 seed Spartans (29-6) face the No. 6 seed Ole Miss Rebels (24-11) in Atlanta, Georgia. The winner will face either No. 5 seed Michigan (27-9) or No. 1 seed Auburn (30-5) Sunday in an Elite 8 game. MSU's streak of 27 consecutive tournament appearances is a Big Ten record and the second-longest active streak in the NCAA. Tipoff for Friday's Sweet 16 game is at 7:09 p.m. ET from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. You can watch Friday's game at 7:09 p.m. ET on CBS Detroit. Michigan State is a two-time national champion. It won its first title in 1979 under legendary coach Jud Heathcote and a Magic Johnson-led team. The Spartans won it all again in 2000, with Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson leading the way in a win over Florida. Michigan State also finished as a national runner-up in 2009, when it lost to North Carolina in a championship game played at Ford Field in Detroit. The Spartans have made 38 NCAA Tournament appearances and have the sixth-most Final Four appearances with 10 (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019). Michigan State has reached the Sweet 16 on 21 occasions, including in 2023. Michigan State has posted a 75-36 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have advanced past either the First Four or First Round each of the last three years. FanDuel Sportsbook projects Michigan State as a 3.5-point favorite. The over/under is set at 143.5. The all-time series is tied at 1-1. The Spartans are led by senior guard Jaden Akins and freshman guard Jase Richardson, who average 12.7 and 11.9 points per game, respectively. Ole Miss has six players averaging double figures a game. The Rebels are paced by senior guard Sean Pedulla with 15.2 points per contest.
CBS News
23-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Michigan State basketball plays second March Madness 2025 game today. Here's what to know.
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team makes its 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Sunday when it takes on New Mexico in a second-round matchup in the South region. The No. 2 seed Spartans (28-6) face the No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos (27-7) in Cleveland, Ohio. After holding a slim, five-point lead at the half, MSU cruised to an 87-62 win over Bryant in the first round. Meanwhile, New Mexico handed No. 7 seed Marquette a 75-66 loss Friday night. MSU's streak of 27 consecutive tournament appearances is a Big Ten record and the second-longest active streak in the NCAA. Tip-off for Sunday's second-round game from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, tips off at 8:40 p.m. ET. You can watch Sunday's game at 8:40 p.m. ET on TNT. Michigan State is a two-time national champion. It won its first title in 1979 under legendary coach Jud Heathcote and a Magic Johnson-led team. The Spartans won it all again in 2000, with Mateen Cleeves and Morris Peterson leading the way in a win over Florida. Michigan State also finished as a national runner-up in 2009, when it lost to North Carolina in a championship game played at Ford Field in Detroit. The Spartans have made 38 NCAA Tournament appearances and have the sixth-most Final Four appearances with 10 (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019). Michigan State has reached the Sweet 16 on 21 occasions, including in 2023. Michigan State has posted a 74-36 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have advanced past either the First Four or First Round each of the last three years. FanDuel Sportsbook projects Michigan State as a 7.5-point favorite. The over/under is set at 147.5. MSU leads the all-time series at 2-0. The Spartans are led by senior guard Jaden Akins and freshman guard Jase Richardson, who average 12.6 and 12.1 points per game, respectively. New Mexico junior guard Donovan Dent leads all scorers with 20.6 points per game.
CBS News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Michigan State basketball plays first March Madness 2025 game today. Here's what to know.
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team makes its 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday when it takes on the Bryant Bulldogs in a first-round matchup in the South region. The Spartans (27-6) earned the No. 2 seed and will face the No. 15 seed Bryant (23-11) in Cleveland, Ohio. MSU's streak of 27 consecutive tournament appearances is a Big Ten record and the second longest-active in the NCAA. MSU lost to Wisconsin , 77-74, in Saturday's Big Ten Tournament semifinal. The Bulldogs won both the America East regular season and tournament titles. This is Bryant's second NCAA Division I tournament appearance and the first since 2022. What time does Michigan State play? Tip-off for Friday's first-round game from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, tips off at 10 p.m. ET. You can watch Friday's game at 10 p.m. ET on TBS. Michigan State is a two-time national champion. It won its first title in 1979 under legendary coach Jud Heathcote and a Magic Johnson-led team. The Spartans won it all again in 2000, with Mateen Cleeves and Morris Peterson leading the way in a win over Florida. Michigan State also finished as a national runner-up in 2009, when it lost to North Carolina in a championship game played at Ford Field in Detroit. The Spartans have made 38 NCAA Tournament appearances and have the sixth-most Final Four appearances with 10 (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019). Michigan State has reached the Sweet 16 on 21 occasions, including in 2023. Michigan State has posted a 73-36 record in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans have advanced past either the First Four or First Round each of the last three years. FanDuel Sportsbook projects Michigan State as a 16.5-point favorite. The over/under is set at 152.5. This is the first all-time meeting between the two schools. The Spartans are led by senior guard Jaden Akins and freshman guard Jase Richardson, who average 12.7 and 12 points per game, respectively. Senior guard Rafael Pinzon paces the Bulldogs at 18.5 points per game while fellow senior guard Earl Timberlake averages 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per contest.
