Heathcote was the head coach of the MSU men’s basketball team for 19 years, winning the Spartans' first NCAA Tournament title in 1979. He also led the Spartans to three conference championships, along with coaching Spartan legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson, among others. 

“The basketball world is a sadder place today with the passing of Jud Heathcote,” head coach Tom Izzo said in a press release. “No one cared more about the welfare of the game than Jud. He was a coach’s coach and a mentor to many. Our hearts are filled with sadness and deepest sympathy for his wife Beverly and the Heathcote family.”