The MSU Spartans recently lost their third exhibition game but a lot of positives from the tour. Even the Spartans’ head coach Tom Izzo believes the loss will give them a lot of what a win could’ve failed to teach. On par with the view is former MSU star Magic Johnson, but with a few off-court relishes to name.

Irrespective of the outcome of the games, Johnson believes it’s the experience that counts. “They soaked up all the country has to offer: great food, historical landmarks, soccer, and amazing basketball fans while building team chemistry and gaining experience through 3 exhibition games against seasoned pros,” he wrote on X. With that, he also believes the Spartans are now all set to lead their Big Ten Conference this season.

MSU was on a 10-day trip to Spain during which they were scheduled to play 3 exhibition games. But the team got the opportunity of more than just playing, as mentioned by Johnson.

This included a visit to Las Ventas Bull Ring in Madrid, sightseeing at their next stop of the tour — Valencia — and also jet skiing on the port of the city. Further, during the trip, the MSU team even got a chance to witness the soccer game between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona.

While there were multiple other activities the team indulged in and enjoyed, MSU also won 2 of the 3 exhibition games it played. The first win came playing in Madrid while the second was in Valencia. In the third game, the Spartans lost to KK FMP by 110-115 at Palau Blaugrana. Now, even though the Spartans failed to secure a win, maybe it was not a complete loss.

While coach Tom Izzo looks for positives in the loss, Magic Johnson already found the next great PG from MSU

As per Sports Illustrated, Izzo stated he is happy with the outcome in some ways. He believes if a team wins a few games here and there, everybody starts believing the team is ready to win the national championship. And if a team loses, everybody starts believing the team is not good enough. “But the truth of it is, it was a great comeback. Their team played well, we played pretty well at times,” he said of the third exhibition game.

Izzo further applauded the efforts of Jaxon Kohler and Coen Carr and acknowledged the struggles faced by some players, including Jaden Akins. Jeremy Fears Jr. also made the list for having a good comeback following a rough start. The 19-year-old point guard has also caught Magic Johnson’s eyes for his basketball IQ.

During an interview on WLNS 6 News, Buck spoke on why the 19-year-old can be the “next great point guard.” The 5x NBA champ recalled that the great point guards that MSU has had were all about basketball IQ. “When to pass, get the guys involved, and also when to score… Mateen Cleaves, Scott Skiles. We always had solid and outstanding guard play and Jeremy fits right into that,” he said.

All-in-all, Izzo believes the third game defeat will do them some good, considering they have a long way to go. Now it’s to be seen if this 10-day experience can help the Spartans to the extent of Magic Johnson’s belief.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.