Earvin “Magic” Johnson: 1979 Most Outstanding Player
The world, let alone the college game had never seen a 6’9″ player with the skill set and playmaking ability of anyone like Earvin “Magic” Johnson . Johnson only attended Michigan St. for two years, but left a lasting impression on the history of the college game in that short period of time. His career-long rivalry with Larry Bird found its roots during the 1979 NCAA National Title Game.
[GET $5 FREE WHEN YOU ENTER EARLY FOR SPORTSBOOK’S $100,000 BRACKET CHALLENGE]13 points, 10 assists, 17 rebounds vs. Lamar
24 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds vs LSU
19 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds vs. Notre Dame
29 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists vs. Pennsylvania
24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists vs. Indiana St. (Larry Bird)
James Worthy: 1982 Most Outstanding Player
Much like Walt Hazzard, some of Worthy’s numbers won’t impress you. I’ll remind you he was playing with Sam Perkins and some kid named Michael Jordan on that Tar Heel roster. Much like in the NBA, Worthy’s brilliance was in being able to adapt and adjust his game according to the needs of the team, and (as you’ll see from the numbers) saved his best for the biggest moments. You don’t get the nickname “Big Game James” simply by chance.
15 points, 4 rebounds vs. James Madison
16 points, 8 rebounds vs. Alabama
14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists vs. Villanova
14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists vs. Houston
28 points, 4 rebounds vs Georgetown
