East Lansing 2019...II

Another visit to Michigan State University took me to Gilbert Pavilion, home of the Michigan State Spartans basketball team. This visit was to photograph Julie Rotblatt- Amrany and Omri Amrany's Ervin 'Magic' Johnson 'Always A Champion' statue outside. After photographing the statue, I went inside to check out the Tom Izzo ‘Basketball Hall Of History’. Once inside, they were setting up for a special ceremony to honor former MSU football player Lorenzo White, who was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame and his name added to the Spartan Stadium ‘Ring Of Fame’!

Along one of the walls were round mini-plaques recognizing former Michigan State University alumni who made it to the N.B.A. and W.N.B.A. Players like Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakes), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors) and Kevin Willis (Atlanta Hawks), just to name a few. On the opposite wall is Michigan State's 'Final Four Championship' floor from Indianapolis, Indiana in April 2000, when they won the National Championship over Florida 89-76. I thought was pretty cool!  After spending time there, I went into the Michigan State trophy room.  Trophies in the room included the 2012 Men’s Big Ten Basketball Champions, 2014 Men’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament Champions, 2008-2009 Big Ten Champions, 2009-2010 Big Ten Champions, 2012 Men’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament Champions, 2016 Men’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament Champions, 1999-2000 Big Ten Champions, NABC 1999 – 2000 Men’s Collegiate Champion, 2000 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship (National Champion), 2000-2001 Big Ten Champions and 2005 Women’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament Champions trophy. Upon leaving, I photographed the Michigan State Athletics 'Ring Of Fame' and a huge billboard photo of Magic Johnson.