There are few Michigan State athletes who can even sniff the legend status that Magic Johnson has in East Lansing. He helped build the foundation for Spartan hoops with that first national title back in 1979 and he went on to have a Hall of Fame NBA career with the Lakers.

That may have never been the case if he chased the bag following his freshman season like he wanted to do. He was moments away from changing the course of MSU basketball history.

During an appearance on Stephen Jackson’s “All the Smoke” podcast, Magic talked about the temptations of money when he was in college. He told the story about how, after his freshman season, he was approached by the Kansas City Kings (now the Sacramento Kings) who had the No. 1 overall pick and they offered him a six-year deal worth $200,000 a year.

Magic jumped at the opportunity but his dad stopped him.

This story is incredible.

Magic’s dad said, “You’ve been broke for 18 years, you can be broke one more year.”

And the rest was history.

Magic went on to have a massive sophomore season with the Spartans, averaging 17.1 points, 8.4 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game en route to the school’s first national title. He beat Larry Bird and Indiana State in the national title game and was picked No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 where he won five NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, and three NBA MVPs.

If it weren’t for his dad pulling him aside and telling him “one more year”, Michigan State may have never won that 1979 title (more than likely not) and the program could look vastly different today.

Did Magic Johnson’s dad alter the course of MSU basketball history? It seems that way.