Magic’s legend was already growing nationally while at Michigan State when he met up with athletic archival Larry Bird and Indiana State Sycamores in the 1979 NCAA Championship in Salt Lake City. Some 33 years later, it is still the highest-rated NCAA basketball game of all time and set the foundation for a once-in-a-generation rivalry in the 1980’s in the NBA with Magic (L.A. Lakers) and Bird (Boston Celtics) tussling for NBA championships and MVP trophies throughout the decade.
