In 1977, recruiting types were in a frenzy. There were three guys at the top of the class: Albert King was generally seen as the best. Gene Banks, who shocked the recruiting world when he picked Duke, was very close behind. And third behind them, by most accounts, was Earvin Johnson.
King chose Maryland and Johnson picked Michigan State.
Banks helped lead Duke to the Final Four in 1978. Maryland under Lefty Driesell was a tremendous program but it rarely got far in the post-season and King was generally seen as...well underachiever is harsh but he never lived up to the hype.