Pretty Damn Amazing That Joshua Langford Has Been Named A Starter For Michigan State After Two Years Of Injuries Nearly Made Him Quit Hoops

[247] - “I guess I’m gonna finally say it: Josh Langford, heaven forbid, but I think he’s about as close to back to 100% as he can be,” Izzo said Wednesday. “So I’m not gonna hide behind it anymore. I told him I gotta start putting pressure on him now, and I feel good about it. Him and I had a good talk (Tuesday) night.

“Josh in that starting rotation, to think of two years ago when he thought basketball was done, to where he is right now, is just an incredible, incredible compliment to the doctors, to my trainer Nick (Richey), strength coach (Marshall Repp) and maybe most of all by far is Josh. It’s been an incredible journey, and yet he’s been really solid.”

Fuck all the negativity surrounding this season before it starts. Games getting cancelled, schedules unknown. Nope, we're trying something different. We're trying to be positive! We're trying to focus on good shit to balance out the bad shit, because writing a blog about things being cancelled fucking sucks. So when I saw this interview and quote flying around, I figured fuck it, let's talk about that. Because it's also damn remarkable that Joshua Langford has been named a starter for Michigan State after nearly quitting the sport. 

Langford hasn't played a game since December 29, 2018. Think about that for a second. The dude was one of the best players for Michigan State, forming a backcourt with Cassius Winston. It was worst case scenario for a basketball player. Foot surgery. We see so many careers ended because of that sort of injury. Guys are bouncing back from ACL's and everything like that. But a foot injury always seems like worst case scenario. 

Then last season during the preseason it was rumored he looked good and was ready to go although again with a foot injury you always have some doubt. Naturally, he had to have surgery again and shut down for the year. He legit was going to quit the sport. The guy who averaged 15 a game before he got hurt in the 2018-19 season. He's a career 41% 3pt shooter. He was a top-20 recruit, by all accounts it was going to be insane that his career was just over. 

Instead he rehabbed and here we are. You could say that MSU would have been the favorites to win it if they had him either of the two years considering they made a Final Four in 2019 before losing to Texas Tech. But now you have Michigan State without Cassius Winston in a loaded Big 10 and him as the only senior on the roster. We know Izzo loves having seniors. That's not exactly a hot take or anything. He's going to start with Aaron Henry and Rocket Watts in the backcourt.

So as we hear games getting cancelled literally as I write this blog here's our good news for the day. Well deserved to Langford after two years of shit for him.