Magic Johnson Picks His Final Four Teams for 2019 March Madness Tournament

Forty years ago, Magic Johnson captivated the country as his Michigan State team took on Larry Bird's Indiana State squad in the highest-rated college basketball game in history. 

Magic's still a true Spartan to this day.

The Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations told Bleacher Report he's picking Michigan State, North Carolina, Gonzaga and Tennessee to be in the 2019 Final Four. Johnson spoke with B/R as part of Champion's 100-year anniversary campaign and wanted to highlight the strength of teams, which he says have given him the "ability to share diverse thoughts, collaborate with, and support others."

Johnson played at Michigan State from 1977 to 1979, winning the national championship and Final Four Most Outstanding Player in his final season. His rivalry with Bird helped foster the excitement that's created the multibillion-dollar March Madness craze, and the duo went on to have a legendary NBA rivalry that arguably helped save the Association during its darkest days.

"During that time there were only a few stations on TV and one primetime sporting event per day," Johnson said. "I remember the hype around the matchup and how it became Magic versus Bird beyond Michigan State versus Indiana State. Even then, I don't think at the time I could conceptualize how monumental that moment would be because I was only focused on our opponent and one game at a time. It was surreal to be a part of that game and the MSU team. I will always be able to say I beat Larry Bird for an NCAA
national championship."

Johnson's Michigan State team is the No. 2 seed in the East region and will have to get past Duke to make it to Minneapolis. His other slight upset, South region No. 2 seed Tennessee, indicates Johnson doesn't expect Virginia to make a Final Four run to atone for becoming the first No. 1 to lose to a 16 seed last year.