Michigan State Basketball: 3-time captain Joshua Langford joins elite group

After being named captain for a third straight season, Michigan State basketball’s Joshua Langford joins elite company within the program.

Michigan State lost some great leaders this offseason in Cassius Winston, Xavier Tillman and Kyle Ahrens, but it seems like guys step up each season to soften the blow.

Captains come and go, but new leaders develop each season which is why when Foster Loyer and Aaron Henry were both named captains for the first time on Thursday, they knew that it would come with major expectations and responsibilities. They would be the voices for their peers and the younger guys would look up to them.

Some thought the choices for captains were curious given the fact that Henry always seemed to be in Tom Izzo’s dog house and Loyer has struggled on the court, but both guys seem to have taken that next step in maturity.

Taking over for Cassius and Xavier won’t be easy, but they’ll give it their best shot.

But a third captain made program history. Joshua Langford was also named captain, making him just the seventh three-time selectee in program history.

There have been five three-time captains in the past 12 years, according to Kyle Austin, which now includes Langford. Kalin Lucas, Draymond Green, Travis Walton and Tum Tum Nairn were the other three-time captains from the past 12 seasons but the only other two in program history were Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith. Not bad company there.

Langford has been a leader of his peers for years and for anyone who has spoken to him or heard him speak, it’s obvious why his teammates look up to him. He’s a smart kid with plenty of basketball knowledge, but he also knows there’s life outside of the sport.

Michigan State will be in good hands this season with Langford as just the seventh three-time captain in MSU history. And hopefully he’ll be healthy, too.