Michigan State basketball is synonymous with success. Throughout so many different eras of the sport, the Spartans have always found a way to stay relevant. History and legacy is something that is a big part of Michigan State. From the history and legacy of great coaches to the players, the Spartans have plenty to be proud of when it comes to basketball.
With 10 Final Fours and two National Championships, the Spartans are a perennial contender every March because of Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo. That success was there even before Izzo. His predecessor, Jud Heathcoate, certainly helped put the Spartans on the map. MSU is one of the best teams that the Big Ten has ever had. That proud legacy is instilled in every player that suits up in the green and white.
That also makes it very difficult to pick and choose who belongs in the all-time starting lineup for Michigan State. The number of talented guards that have come out of East Lansing is nearly unmatched. They are three elite points guards alone in Spartan history. All three could easily crack this lineup. But now is the time to make the tough choice.
Let’s take a look at the Spartan starting lineup.
Michigan State Basketball: Spartans All-Time Starting Lineup
Guard: Magic Johnson
The elite of the elite, Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson joined Coach Heathcoate’s Michigan State basketball team in the fall of 1977. From there, his legendary status only grew. After becoming the best player in the state of Michigan in high school and winning a state title at Lansing Everett, Johnson carried his nickname Magic to higher places alongside the likes of Greg Kelser and Jay Vincent.
After an All-Big Ten freshman season in 1977-78, Johnson returned to East Lansing for the 1978-79 season with one goal in mind, winning the National Championship. He didn’t disappoint, as he along with Kelser rolled to the Final Four and National Championship Game for a clash with Larry Bird and the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores. In what was the most watched NCAA basketball game in history, Johnson’s Spartans emerged victorious, and the Bird-Johnson rivalry began.
That rivalry carried over into Johnson’s pro career, as he was the first pick in the 1979 Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. In his two seasons at Michigan State, Magic finished with an average of 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game. He was also named a consensus All-American in leading the Spartans to the National Championship.
His basketball success continued in the NBA, as he won five NBA titles with the Lakers, famously duking it out with Bird on several occasions. He also was a part of the 1992 Dream Team that won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona. His HIV diagnosis in the early 1990s ended a magical career (did come back to play 32 games in 1995-96). Johnson remains arguably the best player in Michigan State basketball history and is certainly the best ball-handler that the sport has ever seen.
Guard: Mateen Cleaves
Tom Izzo’s first two seasons as the head man at Michigan State were certainly bumpy. That was until Mateen Cleaves arrived on campus. Cleaves had leader written all over him well before he reached his senior year in 2000. He was a highly sought-after player coming out of high school. Like Johnson, Cleaves was a High School All-American.
Boy was Cleaves great, as he not only rose to the top of the Big Ten at the point guard spot but overall. He earned All-Big Ten three times. He was also a three-time Consensus All-American and quickly helped make Michigan State into a perennial contender starting in 1999. Cleaves helped lead the Spartans to their first Final Four since the 1979 National Championship. He returned for his senior year, which was plagued with several foot injuries, but he was still the driving force, quickly becoming like a coach on the court. It all paid off in Indianapolis in April 2000, as Cleaves, Morris Peterson, AJ Granger, Charlie Bell, Andre Hutson, and Jason Richardson among others won the Spartans’ second National Championship.
After winning the crown, Cleaves was selected 14th overall by the hometown Detroit Pistons in the 2000 NBA Draft. Cleaves’ No. 12 remains one of the most historic numbers in Michigan State basketball history.
Cleaves left Michigan State as the all-time assist leader at MSU and in the Big Ten as a whole. It was a record that stood for 20 years. That record fell when fellow Spartan guard Cassius Winston broke the mark during the 2019-20 season. Winston could have easily grabbed this spot. However, Cleaves’ three years of being an All-American mixed with what he did for the program gave him the nod here.
Guard: Steve Smith
This third guard spot wasn’t an easy choice, given all three players in consideration are the three-most prolific scorers in the history of Michigan State basketball. Scott Skiles was two more seasons of a three-point line from being the all-time leading scorer, so he just missed the cut. As does all-time leading scorer Shawn Respert. If the Spartans had a little more team success, maybe Respert would get the nod.
In the end, the spot is grabbed by Detroit’s Steve Smith. ‘Smitty’, as he is affectionately known, has meant so much to Michigan State even well after his playing days. Smith played in the green and white from 1988 until 1991. He was a superstar at a time when the Spartans needed a leader. His shooting ability was outstanding, especially in an era where the three-point line was coming alive at the college level. Smith left Michigan State as a two-time All-Big Ten player and a consensus Second Team All-American during the 1990-91 season.
He led the Big Ten in points in both his junior and senior years. He also remains one of only two Spartans to be among the top 10 in the Big Ten in all-time scoring. His outstanding Spartan career led to his fifth overall selection in the 1991 NBA Draft. He added to a very successful Spartan legacy by winning both an NBA title (2003) and an Olympic gold medal (2000) during his pro playing career.
Smith’s Spartan legacy was carried on by his son Davis Smith. Davis was a member of the Spartan basketball team from 2020-2024. Smitty’s No. 21 remains one of the most important numbers in Spartan basketball history.
Forward: Draymond Green
The most recent player to make this lineup is Draymond Green. It has been 12 years since Green played at the Breslin Center, but he is still important to the program. ‘Day-Day’ might be Tom Izzo’s greatest success story of all time. For a guy who came to East Lansing a little overweight and argumentative, Izzo certainly turned him into a Spartan legend. Green just has a gift for the game of basketball that not many others have. Green’s all-around ability is fun to watch.
As a freshman, Green didn’t see the floor much until during the run to the 2009 National Championship Game. The Sixth Man of the Year in the Big Ten in 2009-10 was a huge part of why that team once again reached the Final Four. He recorded his first career triple-double during his junior season, joining Johnson and Bell at that time as the only three players to do so in Spartan history.
Once his senior season rolled around, Green quickly rose to prominence. Green not only was the Big Ten’s best player in 2011-12, he also made the All-Big Ten Defensive Team and was named a consensus All-American. He won the NABC National Player of the Year Award that season as well. Though he never won a National Championship, Green is right there with the likes of Cleaves and Johnson as an important Spartan basketball figure.
Green fell to the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft. He was picked by the Golden State Warriors, where he remains a key player entering his 13th year in the league. A four-time NBA champion and four-time All-Star, not to mention a former defensive player of the year, Green remains one of the best Spartan players of all time. Draymond’s #23 will be remembered forever in Spartan Nation.
Forward: Johnny Green
The first real superstar in Michigan State basketball history is ‘Jumpin” Johnny Green. Green arrived at MSU after his military service, and showcased why he was given the nickname “Jumpin”. In his first season, Green was a key cog in helping the Spartans reach the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 1957. He was a double-digit scorer in each of his three seasons.
His rebounding ability was quite legendary. His career average of 16.4 rebounds per game is second in Big Ten history behind only Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas. Green is one of only three Spartans to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in Michigan State history.
Green turned his All-American and All-Big Ten career into a pro career. He was the sixth overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 1959 draft. Playing professionally from 1959-1973, Green was an NBA All-Star four times. Sadly he passed away just last year at 89 years old. ‘Jumpin’ Johnny Green won’t be forgotten as his rebounding ability makes him a must-have in this all-time Spartan lineup.
See Previous All-Time Big Ten Teams below:
Illinois Fighting Illini All-Time Starting Lineup
Indiana Hoosiers All-Time Starting Lineup
Iowa Hawkeyes All-Time Starting Lineup
