VIDEO: 40 Years Ago, Magic Johnson Lost a Game of H-O-R-S-E

Nineteen seventy-nine was a special year in college basketball. Michigan State’s Earvin Johnson led his team to a national championship by beating Indiana State and Larry Bird. The massive television audience helped propel the Final Four to heights previously unimagined.

But before that, the Magic Man showed signs of being a mere mortal. His college teammate, Greg Kelser, shared video of a H-O-R-S-E competition between the two of them in Jenison Fieldhouse.

And folks, you’ve never seen a less confident Johnson than the one trying to figure out how to tap the backboard before shooting a layup.

Amazing he recovered from this crushing defeat. But, hey, it was all for charity.