{{Short description|American basketball player (born 1997)}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Joshua Langford | image = 20160330 MCDAAG Joshua Langford running upcourt.jpg | caption = Langford in the 2016 McDonalds All-American Game | team = | league = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|15}} | birth_place = Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5 | weight_lbs = 200 | high_school = Madison Academy<br>(Madison, Alabama) | college = Michigan State (2016–2021) | coach_start = 2023 | career_number = | career_position = Shooting guard | cyears1 = 2023–present | cteam1 = Madison Academy (assistant) | highlights = * McDonald's All-American (2016) * Nike Hoop Summit (2016) | medal_templates = }}
'''Joshua Langford''' (born January 15, 1997) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is an assistant coach for the boys team at Madison Academy. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. A native of Huntsville, Alabama, he competed for Madison Academy at the high school level.
==Early life and high school career== Langford is the son of Tellus Langford. When he was 12 years old attending a football camp, Josh fell ill and began experiencing headaches, a spiking fever, and hallucinations. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and nearly died, spending a week in the hospital. But when he recovered, he grew three inches and returned to playing basketball. At Madison Academy, Langford was a four-time Class 3A Player of the Year, a two-time Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year and a two-time state champion. He also taught Sunday School, volunteered for the Special Olympics and wrote poetry in his free time.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Boyette|first1=Daniel|title=From near death to five star: The untold story of Joshua Langford|url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/11/from_near_death_to_five_star_t.html|accessdate=January 14, 2018|work=Al.com|date=November 15, 2015}}</ref>
==College career== Langford was a five-star recruit and was ranked as the 17th-best player of his class by Rivals.com. He declined offers from schools such as Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona and Duke. He announced that he would play for Michigan State on June 22, 2015, citing the "family atmosphere" as the reason he chose the Spartans.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Duber|first1=Vinnie|title=Five-star guard Josh Langford is Spartans' latest recruiting splash|url=http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/big-ten/five-star-guard-josh-langford-spartans-latest-recruiting-splash|accessdate=January 14, 2018|work=NBC Sports|date=June 22, 2015}}</ref>
Langford had 17 points, a career high, in a win against Nebraska in February 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/02/michigan_state_takes_care_of_b.html|title=Michigan State takes care of Nebraska, moves into 4th-place tie in Big Ten|newspaper=MLive.com|date=February 24, 2017|accessdate=May 3, 2018}}</ref> In the first round of the NCAA tournament Langford contributed 13 as the Spartans blew out the Miami Hurricanes 78–58 to advance to the second round.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400946431|title=Michigan State vs. Miami – Game Recap – March 17, 2017 – ESPN|website=ESPN.com|access-date=March 20, 2017}}</ref> Langford scored in double figures eight times as a freshman. He favored the mid-range shot, which is on the decline in basketball. In one game versus Notre Dame in November 2017, he had 17 points by utilizing his mid-range game.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Austin|first1=Kyle|title=Michigan State's Joshua Langford and the lost art of the midrange jumper|url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/12/michigan_states_joshua_langfor.html|accessdate=January 14, 2018|work=MLive|date=December 14, 2017}}</ref> In another November game, Langford had the big offensive game for the Spartans, scoring a career-high 23 points as the Spartans defeated North Carolina.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2017/11/michigan_state_north_carolina_1.html|title=Smothering defensive effort lifts Michigan State past North Carolina in PK80 final|work=MLive.com|access-date=November 27, 2017}}</ref> Josh Langford scored 23 points to lead the Spartans to an easy win over Cleveland State on December 28.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.landof10.com/michigan-state/michigan-state-cleveland-state-live-updates-score-dec-29|title=Michigan State-Cleveland State: Recap, score, analysis|date=December 29, 2017|work=Land of 10|access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref> Langford added 22 points in the NCAA tournament win over Bucknell.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/2018/03/16/ncaa-tournament-michigan-state-basketball-bucknell-score/434214002/|title=Michigan State's Miles Bridges a megastar in NCAA tournament win|work=Detroit Free Press|access-date=March 19, 2018|date=March 16, 2018}}</ref>
Langford was limited to 13 games as a junior due to a foot injury. On December 19, it was announced that Langford would miss the entire 2019–20 season after undergoing foot surgery. He still has an extra season of eligibility.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michigan State's Joshua Langford out for season after foot surgery |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28336474/michigan-state-joshua-langford-season-foot-surgery |accessdate=December 19, 2019 |work=ESPN |date=December 19, 2019}}</ref>
On November 25, 2020, Langford returned to the court for the Spartans for the first time since December 2018 in Michigan State's 2020 season opener against Eastern Michigan, scoring 10 points in the 83–67 victory.<ref>{{cite news |title=No. 13 Michigan State opens with 83–67 win over E. Michigan|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401263445 |access-date=November 25, 2020 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=November 25, 2020}}</ref> On April 4, 2021, Langford retired from playing basketball after a series of injuries.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Austin |first1=Kyle |title=Michigan State's Joshua Langford retires from basketball |url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2021/04/michigan-states-joshua-langford-retires-from-basketball.html |website=MLive |access-date=May 20, 2023 |date=April 19, 2021}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend}}
===College=== {{NBA player statistics start}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17 | style="text-align:left;"| Michigan State | '''35''' || 27 || 21.0 || '''.497''' || '''.416''' || .654 || 2.3 || 1.1 || .4 || .1 || 6.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18 | style="text-align:left;"| Michigan State | '''35''' || '''35''' || 27.0 || .429 || .404 || '''.849''' || 3.0 || 1.5 || .4 || .1 || 11.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 | style="text-align:left;"| Michigan State | 13 || 13 || 28.0 || .443 || .403 || .839 || '''3.6''' || 1.8 || '''.8''' || .1 || '''15.0''' |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21 | style="text-align:left;"| Michigan State | 27 || 26 || '''28.6''' || .377 || .343 || .745 || '''3.6''' || '''2.3''' || .6 || '''.3''' || 9.7 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career | 110 || 101 || 25.5 || .431 || .390 || .789 || 3.0 || 1.5 || .5 || .1 || 10.1 {{S-end}}
==Post-playing career== Langford worked at Michigan State University's Broad College of Business as a program coordinator after his playing retirement. On May 17, 2023, it was announced that Langford would be returning to his alma mater, Madison Academy, as an assistant coach for the boys team.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Stephen |title=Michigan State grad Joshua Langford returning to former HS as assistant coach |url=https://247sports.com/college/michigan-state/article/michigan-state-basketball-joshua-langford-returning-to-madison-a-210317971/ |website=247 Sports |access-date=May 20, 2023 |date=May 17, 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://msuspartans.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/joshua-langford/10822 Michigan State Spartans bio] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150907034530/http://www.usab.com/basketball/players/mens/l/langford-joshua.aspx USA Basketball bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Langford, Joshua}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:American men's basketball coaches Category:American men's basketball players Category:Basketball coaches from Alabama Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players Category:Shooting guards Category:Basketball players from Huntsville, Alabama Category:21st-century American sportsmen