NBA veteran Magic Johnson applauds Michigan State coach Tom Izzo after his legendary 354th win

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo made history this Saturday with his record-breaking 354th victory over Illinois. The Spartans dismantled Illinois with a decisive 79-65 victory, cementing Izzo’s 354th Big Ten victory and toppling Bob Knight’s long-standing record of 353 conference wins. Remarking on this historic feat, NBA legend and former Lakers star Magic Johnson took to X to congratulate and show his admiration for Izzo. Magic Johnson shared Michigan State Men’s Basketball’s official X post and wrote a heartfelt congratulatory message for Tom Izzo. He shared that he and his wife Cookie Johnson personally visited Izzo to congratulate his latest feat."Cookie and I want to congratulate MSU’s Basketball Coach Izzo on his record-breaking 354th win last night against Illinois, surpassing Bobby Knight as the Big Ten’s winningest coach in history. I have great respect and admiration for him, and no one deserves this achievement more. Go Green and Go White!" Johnson wrote as he retweeted Michigan State Men’s Basketball’s congratulatory post on X.Earlier, Tom Izzo had expressed his desire to pass on the legacy of coaching Michigan State to Johnson on the November 11, 2024, episode of the College Hoops Today podcast."I got no interest in getting out of it (coaching MSU). When I'm done, I'm going to talk to Mateen Cleaves, Steve Smith, Magic Johnson, and Draymond Green. I don't want to lose the culture that I've seen for 40 years as a GA on up," Izzo said, hinting at Michigan State's potential coaching succession.Magic Johnson, a former Los Angeles Lakers legend, played two seasons at Michigan State University from 1977 to 1979. In his freshman year, he led the Spartans to a 25–5 record, securing the Big Ten Conference title and a berth in the 1978 NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Elite Eight. During his sophomore season, Johnson's exceptional performance continued as he guided Michigan State to the NCAA Championship game. In a historic matchup against Indiana State, led by Larry Bird, the Spartans emerged victorious with a 75–64 win, clinching the national title. Johnson's outstanding play throughout the tournament earned him the Most Outstanding Player award of the Final Four. Following this success, he declared for the 1979 NBA Draft, embarking on an exceptional professional basketball career.