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Jud Heathcote, architect of Michigan State basketball, dies at 90

By Colton Wesley

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 28: General view of the Breslin Center during the national anthem prior to the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan State Spartans on February 28, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 28: General view of the Breslin Center during the national anthem prior to the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan State Spartans on February 28, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Former Michigan State Spartans head basketball coach Jud Heathcote died on Monday at the age of 90.

Jud Heathcote, the man most responsible for the modern-day Michigan State basketball juggernaut, died Monday night at the age of 90.

Heathcote’s legacy is indelibly woven into the fabric of Michigan State basketball and his fingerprints remain throughout the program. Heathcote orchestrated the Spartans’ basketball renaissance of the late 1970s, propelling Michigan State from an also-ran to a national contender.

He recruited future stars from his own backyard like Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser, Steve Smith, Scott Skiles and Shawn Respert, all of whom went on to be first-round NBA draft picks. Those teams reached unprecedented heights, including a national championship run in 1979 which culminated in a legendary title game win over Larry Bird and Indiana State.

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By the time Heathcote retired in 1995, he had won 339 games (60.5%), three Big Ten titles and established Michigan State as a March regular with nine tournament appearances.

One of Heathcote’s greatest legacies as a coach is the continued success of the program. Heathcote intentionally built the Michigan State basketball program for stability, developing local talent to establish the program as the premier destination for Michigan college basketball and preparing a capable successor in longtime assistant Tom Izzo.

When Healthcote decided to hang up his whistle for good after the 1994-1995 season, the transition was nearly seamless. Between Heathcote and Izzo the Spartans have appeared in 29 NCAA Tournaments since 1976—including each of the last 20 under Izzo—and eight Final Fours, winning two national championships.

Not only did Heathcote kickstart the Michigan State tradition of winning, he also built a familial culture in East Lansing. Heathcote was beloved by his players and by Michigan State basketball fans. Many of Heathcote’s players, including his NBA talent, have remained connected to Michigan State basketball, a tradition carried on by Tom Izzo and his teams. “Jud’s Jungle” shook the floorboards of the old Jenison Fieldhouse and was the genesis for the Breslin Center’s modern-day “Izzone.”

“The basketball world is a sadder place today with the passing of Jud Heathcote,” Izzo said in a statement Monday night. “No one cared more about the welfare of the game than Jud… Spartan basketball is what it is today because of Jud Heathcote.” Other Spartans, including Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser and Miles Bridges, expressed their condolences on Twitter.

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Heathcote’s family has asked that their privacy is respected. As of now, no service plans have been announced.

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