Legends of College Basketball:Magic Johnson.

[Mike Barnes]

Magic Johnson holds the distinction, Of, Not only being one of the best players to ever play on the college basketball circuit, Along with, Being one of the Alltime greatest players to ever play the game of basketball, Magic Johnson was a 1st Team Highschool All-American in 1977(His Senior year in HS), Magic Johnson was rated, The 3rd best player in the country his Senior year in 1977(Al King from New York, Was rated the best player in the

Country in 1977) And, Gene Banks from Philadelphia, Was rated the 2nd best player in the country in 1977), Magic Johnson was a 2nd Team All-American his Freshman year at Michigan State in 1977/78, Magic Johnson was a 1st Team All-American his Sophomore year st Michigan State in 1978/79, Magic Johnson brought the art of passing the pill(Basketball), To The College game in 1977(Along with Sam Worthen, Who played for Marquette University from 1978 to 1980, And, Larry Bird, Who played for Indiana State from 1978-

1979), Magic Johnson was also down with the Gold Medal Pan-American College Basketball crew in 1978(Coached by Dave Gavitt, Who used to be The Head Coach At Providence University from the late 60's to 1979), The 1979, NCAA Championship game, Between, Michigan State vs Indiana State, Is still, The most watched College Basketball Game of alltime, Here's some more information on Magic Johnson's highschool and college career.
Much Respect
MIke Barnes


Johnson grew up in Lansing, Michigan and came to love basketball as a youngster. He frequently went to bed early, waking up at 7:30 AM to play on the court. He often journeyed to shops while dribbling with one hand.[2] According to his mother, he displayed great enthusiasm for everything.[3]

As a 15-year-old sophomore playing for Lansing Everett High School, Johnson had a game with a triple-double 36 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists. After this, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal, nicknamed him "Magic".[4] His mother, a devout Christian, thought the nickname was blasphemous, but the moniker stuck.[2] In his junior year, Johnson showed a lackluster work ethic, and his coach threatened to relegate him to guarding the team's sliced pepperoni if he did not change; Johnson responded by working out harder and soon improved.[3] However, tragedy struck his team, as his friend and colleague Reggie Chastaine was killed in a car accident the summer before his senior year. The team dedicated the next season to Chastaine and vowed to win the state championship to honor his memory. They fulfilled their promise after winning the title game in overtime.[3] As a senior, Johnson led Lansing Everett to a 27-1 record while averaging 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds.[2]

With proximity to home being a major consideration, Johnson decided to attend Michigan State University in East Lansing, where coach Jud Heathcote was starting his second season. Initially, he had no strong desire to become a professional basketball star, instead focusing on communication studies because he wanted to become a TV commentator.[5] Playing with future NBA stars Greg "Special K" Kelser and Jay Vincent (as well as Bob Chapman, Ron Charles, Terry Donnelly, and Mike Brkovich) in the local Spartan squad, Johnson averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists as a freshman, leading the Spartans to a 25-5 record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the NCAA tournament.[2] The Spartans made it to the regional finals, where they narrowly lost to eventual national champion Kentucky. In his sophomore season, Johnson played point guard, but was also often switched to forward, to make use of his prolific rebounding. The tactic worked, and Johnson led Michigan State to the NCAA Finals in 1979. There, the Spartans played against the Indiana State University team of sharp-shooting senior forward Larry Bird. In a highly anticipated NCAA championship game, Johnson's squad prevailed 75–64, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.[2] He finished his career at Michigan State with 1059 points, 471 rebounds, and made 348 field goals out of 752 attempts.

[Fletch]

The only 2-3 zone better than us had Magic in it! :cool_shades:

[Mike Barnes]

Fletch, The only reason why Magic Johnson fit in so well, When Michigan state played a 2-3 zone(Which was damn near the whole game, When Jud Heathcote was coaching Michigan State, During the mid 70's to early 90's),

Is, Magic Johnson could not check ANYBODY/LOL), Fletch, Cats that play zone(Any type of zone/LOL), For the whole game(Or, A very long period of a game), On a regular basis(Like, Every game/LOL), Are milk-dud weak to me my man(WORD/LOL), Fletch, Fletch, I can see a coach changing his

Defenses, To exploit a weakness on the opposing crew, But, To play a zone damn near the whole game/LOL, Fletch, Coaches that play zone on a regular basis, Toss there crew in the light mad hard, Because, That coach who plays zone on a regular basis, Is telling the opposing crew, That, OUR CREW

CANNOT CHECK ANYBODY ON YOUR CREW my man/LOL, Now, If a coach is playing a zone, In regards to the opposing crew, Not being able to make a few jumpers(Or, The Opposing crew not being a very good shooting team), Then, I can see that strategy my man/LOL, Fletch, Eddie Moss/Rip(Former Power Memorial Highschool cat in New York, During the mid to late 70's, And,

Former Syracuse cat during the late 70's to 1981), Was one of the best defensive guards to ever play on the college basketball circuit(At least to me/LOL), Jim Boehiem played alot more man to man during the late 70's, When Eddie Moss was at Syracuse my man(WORD/LOL), Fletch, I've seen Dudley Bradley(Another one of the best defensive guards to ever play on the College Basketball, Circuit during the mid 70's to late 70's at North Carolina),

I've seen Dudley Bradley hold Magic Johnson to NO DRIBBLES, When North Carolina played against Michigan State in the winter of 1978(Magic Johnson's Sophomore year at Michigan State), Fletch, Cats like Dudley Bradley,Eddie Moss,Darnell Valentine(Former Kansas cat from 1977 to 1981), Michael Jordan(Who was a better defensive player than Dudley Bradley at North Carolina from 1981 to 1984),Clyde Bradshaw(Former DePaul cat from 1977 to 1981),

Dominick Pressely/Rip(Former Boston College Cat from 1982-1986),Paul Pressey(Tulsa),Sidney Moncrief(Arkansas) Etc, All of those cats did not need a pick(Needing help/LOL), In regards to being able to check a cat my man/LOL, Now, Your man Magic Johnson NEVER HAD NO D/LOL, Fletch, I remember reading about Magic Johnson in the winter of 1976(Via, Street and Smith's basketball magazine), Fletch, I could not believe a cat(6'8), In Highschool, Was bringing the ball upcourt and setting cats up(WORD/LOL),

Fletch, The only cats that i had seen bringing the pill up, Over 6'3, In highschool during the early to mid 70's, Were, Sam Worthen(6'5/Franklin K.Lane in Queens during the early to mid 70's), Arnold Duggar(6'4/Clinton Highschool in The Bronx, During the early to mid 70's),Eddie Lee/Rip(John Bowne Highschool in Flushing,Queens, During the early/mid 70's), The first time that i seen Magic Johnson play, Was during the summer of 1977(Right

after Magic Johnson's Senior year in Highschool) , At The Fivestar Basketball camp in Pennsylvania, Via, A tape that my man Howard Garfinkel(The Founder of Five-Star Basketall Camp from the early 60's in Pennsylvania and New Jersey), Let one of my Highschool gym teachers borrow(Much respect to Mr.Hanover at Francis Lewis HS, In Flushing,Queens for looking out like that),

The Summer of 1977 at FiveStar Basketball camp, Was mad,Mad, Tough my man(Word/LOL), The Highschool class of 1977, That was featured at FiveStar during the summer of 1977(About a month before all of these cats were to report to School in the middle of August), Were, Al King,Gene Banks,Magic

Johnson, Wes Matthews(Wisconsin),Stan Wilcox(Notre Dame),Kelly Tripucka(Notre Dame),Orlando Woolridge(Notre Dame),Darnell Valentine(Kansas),Cliff Robinson(USC),Herb Williams(Ohio State),Artie Green/Rip(Marquette),Mike Aldridge(Florida),Tracy Jackson(Notre Dame),Eddie Moss(Syracuse),Al Wood(North Carolina),Kenny Page(Ohio State),Etc, Fletch, I could not believe a

Cat, 6'8, Was not getting picked(The ball Stolen from/LOL), While, Bringing the pill upcourt my man/LOL, Fletch, Magic dem'od, Everbody that he ran into at FiveStar in the summer of 1977 my man(Except for Al King, Who was not checking Magic, When they played against one another, But, Al King was letting cats have it to the ninth power with his at Five-star in the summer of 1977, Now, Ask me what happened when Al King played up at IS8(College Division), In the summer of 1977(After the Five-Star Camp ended in early

July), And, I can most definitely build on that/LOL, Al King played with Brooklyn USA(Coached by my man Rapper Perez/Rip), At IS8, In the summer of 1977(A few weeks before, Al King left to Start orientation at Maryland in August of 1977), Well, Brooklyn USA played against a crew from Brooklyn(Brownsville crew), That Featured Kelvin Hicks(6'6 cat who played for

Brooklyn Tech HS, During the early to mid 70's, And,New York Tech during the mid 70's to early 80's),Curt(C Rock)Sumpter(The father of Curtis Sumpter, Who played for Villanova a few years ago),Earl Fuller(5'9 cat who playd for Southshore HS, During the early to mid 70's, And, Texas A&M, And, LIU, During the late 70's to early 80's), Fletch, I had seen Al King play many times during the early to mid 70's, When Al King played for Fort Hamilton HS in Brooklyn and During the summer Tournament Circuit(AAU), In New York,

But, Kelvin Hicks, Held Al King to NO DRIBBLES(And, When Al King got past Kelvin Hicks), Al King's shit was fetched to the water fountain by Kelvin Hicks my man/LOL), On the low, Tom Izzo(Present Head Coach at Michigan State), Was Jud Heathcote's Top assistant at Michigan state, During the late 70's to early 90's).
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Fletch]

Mike,

The old school of thought was that a 2-3 zone was used: 1) to hide weak defenders; 2) to hide guys in foul trouble; or 3) rest a tired defense. Magic was a weak man defender, but his size and long arms made him the prototypical zone defender on the backline.

Having said all of that, Jim Boeheim was one of the first to have a different attitude towards the zone. Whereas, coaches utilized the 2-3 based on the three points above, Boeheim was one of the first coaches to recruit exclusively for the zone, and use it as a weapon against opponents! You will notice that Syracuse's teams have tall, long, lanky defenders. Rarely do you see a fat, Oliver Miller-type of cat at Syracuse (the only 'fat' player ever to play for Boeheim was a cat named Andre Hawkins, a chubby cat but had long arms!). Otherwise, you normally see skinny, tall, long, Hakim Warrick-style players at Cuse.

Anyway, back to Magic. Have you ever heard the story of how Jerry West used to pick Magic's *** in the Laker gym? Magic would bring the ball up, right, and Jerry, more than likely using some Clyde Frazier **** done on him, would pick his pocket like a thief! West, afterward, had to teach Magic how use his 6-8 body to protect the ball! As we've seene, Magic learned well!

[Mike Barnes]

Fletch, No, I've never heard that story about Jerry West picking Magic's Pocket my man/LOL, Fletch, I just have a very hard time, Visualizing Jerry West playing D/LOL, Fletch, I would like to mention that Pearl was a fat cat too my man(Pearl was alot less shorter than Andre Hawkins, But, Damn, Pearl was mad cheeseburger with his/LOL), Fletch, I do agree with your

Assessment of why cats play zones(Especially 2-3 zones/LOL), But, I feel a coach can hide a weak defender, By Taking a cat who can't play(Or Does not have any D/LOL), Out of the game for a few/LOL, Thus, A coach who takes a cat out of a game(No matter what time during the game too/LOL), Who has no D, Or, Cannot check anyone, Well, Too, Me, A cat will suddenly find out how much important he is too his crew, When it comes to at least staying in front of a cat(No matter if a cat is in foul trouble or not), Fletch, Moses

Malone never fouled out a game in the ABA or NBA, During his Pro career my man(The last time that Moses Malone fouled out of a game was when Moses Malone was a Sophomore at Petersburg Highschool, in 1972/LOL, Fletch, Moses Malone did not receive any credit for being a very good defensive player in the NBA or ABA too(Why is that/KRS-One), Fletch, Who

Ever was Moses Malone's highschool coach at Petersburg Highschool from 1970 to 1974, Was a cat who should have been an NBA assistant or NBA Head coach, In regards to Moses Malone's knowledge of the game as a Highschool cat in the early to mid 70's my man, Fletch, I do agree with your earlier comments, In regards to Magic's impact on Michigan State's 2-3 zone,

But, I feel Ron Charles and Greg Kelser, Playing on the wings(Along with Jay Vincent), Made it mad hard for cats to get off a good shot, Or, Get around the backend of that 2-3 zone too/LOL, Fletch, If Maurice Cheeks,Michael Ray Richardson,Fat Lever,Vern Fleming,Mitchell Wiggins,Etc, Could not pick Magic's pocket, I most definitely could not see JERRY WEST, PICKIN MAGIC'S POCKET my man/LOL, UNLESS JERRY WEST WAS FUCKIN MAGIC UP/LOL.
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Fletch]

Fletch, No, I've never heard that story about Jerry West picking Magic's Pocket my man/LOL, Fletch, I just have a very hard time, Visualizing Jerry West playing D/LOL, Fletch, I would like to mention that Pearl was a fat cat too my man(Pearl was alot less shorter than Andre Hawkins, But, Damn, Pearl was mad cheeseburger with his/LOL), Fletch, I do agree with your

Assessment of why cats play zones(Especially 2-3 zones/LOL), But, I feel a coach can hide a weak defender, By Taking a cat who can't play(Or Does not have any D/LOL), Out of the game for a few/LOL, Thus, A coach who takes a cat out of a game(No matter what time during the game too/LOL), Who has no D, Or, Cannot check anyone, Well, Too, Me, A cat will suddenly find out how much important he is too his crew, When it comes to at least staying in front of a cat(No matter if a cat is in foul trouble or not), Fletch, Moses

Malone never fouled out a game in the ABA or NBA, During his Pro career my man(The last time that Moses Malone fouled out of a game was when Moses Malone was a Sophomore at Petersburg Highschool, in 1972/LOL, Fletch, Moses Malone did not receive any credit for being a very good defensive player in the NBA or ABA too(Why is that/KRS-One), Fletch, Who

Ever was Moses Malone's highschool coach at Petersburg Highschool from 1970 to 1974, Was a cat who should have been an NBA assistant or NBA Head coach, In regards to Moses Malone's knowledge of the game as a Highschool cat in the early to mid 70's my man, Fletch, I do agree with your earlier comments, In regards to Magic's impact on Michigan State's 2-3 zone,

But, I feel Ron Charles and Greg Kelser, Playing on the wings(Along with Jay Vincent), Made it mad hard for cats to get off a good shot, Or, Get around the backend of that 2-3 zone too/LOL, Fletch, If Maurice Cheeks,Michael Ray Richardson,Fat Lever,Vern Fleming,Mitchell Wiggins,Etc, Could not pick Magic's pocket, I most definitely could not see JERRY WEST, PICKIN MAGIC'S POCKET my man/LOL, UNLESS JERRY WEST WAS FUCKIN MAGIC UP/LOL.
Much Respect
Mike BarnesMike, it's easy. The ROOKIE Magic could get his pocket picked by West, not only the greatest guard ever, but a cat who, at that time, only was a few years in retirement! Remember, too, Magic, like everyone else, had to adjust to the pro game; that's what West taught him in his rookie year! After that, Magic was "un-pickable"!

Remember, even retired for a couple of years, The Great Jerry West, who knew it all and seen it all, could still pull off some tricks and skills. It's not that hard to fathom, IN 1979! Remember, West learned a lot, the hard way, from Clyde Frazier! LOL!

[Mike Barnes]

Fletch, I realize that there's a big difference in age, Between, You and me, So, I would like to know, When did Jerry West recieve the status of,'Greatest Guard ever', My man/LOL, Fletch, If Jerry West is looked upon as the Greatest guard ever, Where, Does Michael Jordan fit in, In regards to The Basketball Elite in the backcourt moneygrip/LOL, Fletch, I've seen Jerry West at his peak, In The NBA, During the late 60's to mid 70's, And, I feel Jerry

West was nice with his, But, I would most definitely build about Walt Frazier being better than Jerry West any day of the week(WORD/LOL), Fletch, I've been following basketball for XXXX amount of years, And, Through my travels on the basketball circuit, I Have never heard of Jerry West, Holding a cat to NO DRIBBLES(Fletch, I'm not building about Jerry West never holding a cat to no dribbles, I'm just building about, I never heard any stories of Jerry West

Holding cats to no Dribbles my man/LOL), Fletch, I'm down with cats that play D, Any Day, Over a cat that can't play no D, Or a cat who does not want to play D, Or a cat who feels, Gettin his, Is just as important as playing D my man/LOL, Fletch, Name one cat that you have seen(Live or on TV),

That Jerry West Locked up my man(LOL), Fletch, From what i remember in regards to Magic Johnson's rookie year in 1979/80, Norm Nixon was the cat that taught Magic Johnson the science of the NBA game(I'm not building about Jerry West Not having any type of guidance towards Magic Johnson career in the NBA during his rookie year in 1979, I'm just building on what i heard my man/LOL), At First, Norm Nixon was against The Lakers drafting

Magic Johnson in 1979, Because, Norm Nixon felt that the Lakers did not have any confidence in him(Norm Nixon), In regards to running the crew(Los Angeles Lakers), But, Jerry West was the cat who stepped to Norm Nixon and Let Norm Nixon know that, Playing in the backcourt with Magic Johnson, Would give the Lakers a better chance to advance to the the NBa finals, Also, Norm Nixon still brought the pill upcourt on occassions, When, Magic

Was tired, or, When Magic was out of the game, Plus, To have two cats that could handle th epill, Set the offense up, And, Norm Nixon could shoot it too(/LOL), Only made the Lakers that much harder to beat(Well, That's how i saw it back then/LOL), Fletch, The Magic's first game in the NBA was against The San Diego Clippers, Which featured Lloyd Free(I could never call that brother World B.Free/LOL), Lloyd Free gave Magic,Norm Nixon,Jim Price,Ron Boone,Butch Lee(Shit, The whole Lakers backcourt and subs too/LOL), 45

Points that night, Magic mentioned in an article after the game, That Lloyd Free was the toughest cat that he had ever faced(Magic still builds about Lloyd Free being the toughtest cat that he ever had to check, Along with Michael Jordan, Who Magic, Never wanted to check, Nor, Magic, Didn't check/LOL), Fletch, Do you remember when Michael Jordan played against Lloyd Free in the winter of 1984(Michael Jordan's rookie year in the NBA), A TV Announcer(Who i cannot remember right about now/LOL), Was

Interviewing Lloyd Free before the game(Free was playing for The Cleveland Cavs in 1984), the Announcer asked Lloyd Free, If he was worried about playing against Michael Jordan/LOL, LLoyd Free looked straight in the camera, And, Said, Shit(That shit was bleeped out though/LOL), Michael Jordan should be worried about playing against me(LLoyd Free/LOL), Lloyd Free gave Michael Jordan 45 points that night(Michael Jordan had 40 something points too, Along with The Chicago Bulls winning the game).
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Fletch]

Mike, it was only a story I heard. I'll take responsibility for "hearing stories" LOL! The way you put it, though, Jerry West isn't even in the top 10 of alltime guards, which a lot of folks will disagree. It's all good, though (LOL!).

I got a question about "taking a weak defender out of the game" so that a team won't have to play zone. What if the "weak defender" is a mad scoring machine??????? Would you take him out? Just asking.

Everybody likes to give props to Magic's Showtime fast breaks. But it's those Laker halfcourt sets that are classic.

But since we are on "college legends", I always thought of that 1979 NCAA Final not from a Bird-Magic perspective, but from a view of how that 2-3 zone shut down Bird. But because it was Bird v. Magic, you will NEVER get a NCAA Final with a 33 rating ever again!

[Mike Barnes]

Fletch, Jerry West would be on my top 10 list of alltime great guards my man, But, I'm not on Jerry West's lovemuscle like that, To soup him up though/LOL, Fletch, Yeah, I would take out a cat who could score, But, Could not,Or, Will not, Or, Just don't want to play D my man(At any part of th game), Fletch,

I've seen Frank McGuire take out Alex English, When Alex English was playing For the University of South Carolina in the early/mid 70's, Because, Alex English was not playing no D(But, Alex English was a prolific scorer to the ninth power with his in college/LOL), Shit, I've seen Frank Mickens(Legendary Coach at Boys High in Brooklyn), Takeout Ernie Douse(One of the best cats to ever Play in New York in any era, During the early/mid 70's), Because,

Ernie Douse was not playing no D(And, Frank Mickens did not play that P initial my man/LOL), Fletch, The Reason why i build about taking a cat out, who does not play any Defense, Is, No matter who it is, If the cat can score,Etc, Is, When you take a cat out of the game, Who is not playing no D, That shows the rest of the crew, That the coach has discipline in regards to

Running and controlling the crew my man(Cats will not question a coach who takes out the best player on the crew, Because, Of The Best player on the crew not playing no D/LOL), Fletch, Al McGuire used to take out Butch Lee, When Butch Lee was a Sophomore, For not playing no D(Butch Lee Learned from that shit too, As the years went On/LOL), Fletch, It's very important as a coach, To show an element of discipline for everyone on the crew

(Regardless of The best players on the crew), Because, The Unity among the crew, Will be very organized and stronger, When it comes to respecting one another on the crew, As well as respecting the coach on the crew too, Fletch, Discipline, Stops alot of potential nonsense that could take place on a crew too my man/LOL.
Much Respect
Mike Barnes