| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 27, 1927 Harvey, North Dakota, U.S. |
| Died | August 28, 2017 (aged 90) Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1946–1949 | Washington State |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1950–1964 | West Valley HS (WA) |
| 1964–1971 | Washington State (assistant) |
| 1971–1976 | Montana |
| 1976–1995 | Michigan State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 419–274 (college) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| NCAA Division I tournament (1979) 2 Big Sky regular season (1975, 1976) 3 Big Ten regular season (1978, 1979, 1990) | |
| Awards | |
| NABC Coach of the Year (1990) Sporting News Coach of the Year Award (1995) Big Sky Coach of the Year (1975) 2× Big Ten Coach of the Year (1978, 1986) | |
| College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2009 | |
George Melvin "Jud" Heathcote (May 27, 1927 – August 28, 2017) was an American basketball player and coach.[1] He was a college basketball head coach for 24 seasons: five at the University of Montana (1971–1976)[2] and nineteen at Michigan State University (1976–1995). Heathcote coached Magic Johnson during his two years at Michigan State, concluding with the 1979 national championship season.[3] He also coached the University of Montana to a national handball championship in 1974.