Hes very intense. and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare, Mike Hayes, a Kentucky Wesleyan player, recounted the game. It's because of Bird. Larry Joe Bird Birds legend was born in the tiny town of French Lick, snuggled in Indianas corn country, where his family led a spartan life. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more, How the Celtics landed Larry Bird in the NBA Draft, 1988 NBA Playoff Highlights: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins epic showdown, Celtics 75th Season: Bird-Dr. J fight adds to 76ers rivalry, Celtics 75th Season: Bird's debut, Ford sinks first NBA '3', Looking back on Larry Bird's steal against the Pistons, Bill Walton on what made Bird the best he ever played with, Bird's gutsy performance vs. Pacers in '91 series clincher, Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), Three-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1982-84), Three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88). Larry Bird is an Indiana basketball legend, starting at Springs Valley High School and running through his playing days at Indiana State . Drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in . Bird had actually nailed the jumper from the corner. At the time, Bird was a junior at Indiana State University and decided he wanted to play his senior year . As freshman and junior varsity statistics do not count toward official NCAA records, three playersPete Maravich, Oscar Robertson and Elvin Hayesonly had three seasons to compile their totals. Larry Bird Wiki, Bio, Net Worth, Age, Height, Career, Family Incredible story of Larry Bird, high school baseball coach - Audacy Maybe Bird wouldve spent the summer of 1975 celebrating the first of back-to-back national titles at IU, rather than playing for Hancock Construction, a state-champion AAU team sponsored by the mayor of Mitchell, Indiana, which was the only team capable of knocking off the mighty Indiana All-Stars in an exhibition. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Although Johnson also turned in an impressive first season for the NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers, Bird was named Rookie of the Year and made the first of his 12 trips to the All-Star Game. If the answer was yes, then theres a chance there would be national championship banners from 1975 and 1976 hanging inside Assembly Hall right now. Larry Bird's college career. Bird enjoyed a phenomenal collegiate basketball career at Indiana State (30.3 points per game in a three-year career that included a trip to the national championship game). After 897 games Bird retired with 21,791 points (24.3 ppg), 8,974 rebounds (10.0 rpg) and 5,695 assists (6.3 apg). Bob Knights worst team at IU, by record, was the 1977, post-title team. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times. Talking trash to Larry Bird rarely ever ended well, as former NBA player Rodney Rogers found out the hard way. Few played tougher than Bird, who would leap into crowds and over press tables for loose balls. Once every generation or so, a player comes along who can truly be called a superstar. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. The three-time NBA champion played 94 games with the Sycamores. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Or write about sports? Published Jan. 28 . Larry Bird - BR Bullpen - Baseball-Reference.com Indiana State star Larry Bird makes his way through the crowd of players and fans getting congratulations after his team defeated Arkansas, 73-71, to win the NCAA Midwest Regional tourney crown in . The 1979-80 Celtics improved by 32 games to 61-21 and returned to the top of their division. Playing in all 82 contests, Bird led the team in scoring (21.3 ppg), rebounding (10.4 rpg), steals (143), and minutes played (2,955) and was second in assists (4.5 apg) and 3-pointers (58). Do you have a blog? Bird and Johnson were already playing their first year in the NBA by then. Jamal Mashburn recalled how Larry Bird responded to trash-talk at a Larry Bird is recognized as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. January 19, 2023 3:00 am ET. He scored 136 points in five NCAA tournament games, leading the Sycamores to the national championship game, where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. Larry Bird SF #33. Bird, now 30 years old and with worsening back condition and foot problems as well, would not win a fourth championship ring. With Bird as the focal point of a well-rounded squad, the Celtics won three NBA titles and 10 Atlantic Division crowns. 1 in Birds senior year that is, until a Michigan State team featuring a 6-foot-9 guard named Earvin Magic Johnson knocked them off in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, one of the most widely watched showdowns in basketball history. Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson Stats. He was particularly hard on freshmen players, such as a young Larry Bird. The end of Birds career was at hand, but not before one last achievement: a gold medal with the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team, which dominated the competition at Barcelona and won millions of fans for the sport with its brilliance. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Join our linker program. Home; Tickets; Schedule. And then there is a lesser known Bird, the college baseball . An obsessive perfectionist, Bird was idolized by Celtic fans and basketball purists of all allegiances. Michael Jordan has compiled 41,011 minutes and has participated . The Boston Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Finally, Bird enrolled at Indiana State, which had posted 12-14 records in each of the two previous years and where the pressure was not quite the same as at Indiana a perennial Big Ten power and national title contender. He was unflappable and virtually unstoppable. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Bird recalls in his Book "Drive"--which he wrote late in his playing career-- how he never missed an opportunity to take it to Benson during their NBA days. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Larry Bird | Basketball Wiki | Fandom As many observed, he would see plays not as they were developing, but before they developed. Looks like Bradley's coach on 2/10/79 tried to give Bird the same treatment . Everything About Larry Bird's Wife, Dinah Mattingly! - Players Bio Larry Bird was 1 of the NBA's most clutch players ever, amassing 3 MVPs while leading the Celtics to 5 Finals and 3 titles in the 1980s. Larry Bird - net worth, private life. Bird played with a total of eight Hall of Fame players, though a couple played only a few games alongside him. An offseason trade with Golden State which that many consider the most lopsided in NBA history brought center Robert Parish and a future first-round pick (which became Kevin McHale) to Boston. Here are some of the awards Larry Bird won in college: However, Bird was all business in spite of the awards he won and the fanfare he received. All rights reserved. NAISMITH AWARDS: Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year, While Bird was most known for his scoring, he had a well-rounded game that included double-digit rebound totals and unselfish passing. Regarding per game stats, Bird is averaging 6.8 dimes and 9.6 rebounds. The small forward had just led Indiana State to a 33-1 season, with the team's sole loss coming to Magic Johnson . . The Sycamores went 81-13 during Birds three-year career. Navigation Toggle NBA. He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketballers of all time, it . 10 Things Younger NBA Fans Should Know About Larry Bird - TheSportster I didn't say that Bird was the best college basketball player of all time. Find out more. In the final, they played Michigan State, led by "Magic" Johnson, and together their rivalry would eventually be responsible for the resurgence of the NBA in the 1980s. Bird nasceu em West Baden Springs e cresceu em French Lick, em Indiana, e iniciou a sua carreira no basquete ao fazer parte de seu time no colegial, sendo posteriormente selecionado pela Indiana University e por seu legendrio tcnico, o explosivo Bob Knight.Contudo, com um time repleto de estrelas e uma atmosfera no muito compatvel com seu estilo de . Bird did a fine job in his three seasons on the bench. Larry Bird's accomplishments and stats make him one of the greatest pure shooters of all time. Find out more. When Bird elected to return to Indiana State for one more year, the Celtics dipped to 29-53. Hall of Fame Boston Celtics forward Larry Joe Bird is considered one of the greatest to play the game (never mind for the Celtics) because of how clutch a player he was. The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in '81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates "to get on my back, boys" in the decisive . RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Known as 'Chief', Parish played 21 seasons in the NBA and was one of the mainstays in Boston during the '80s, leading the Celtics to three titles. The only thing that wouldve been more painful for some IU fans than briefly landing Bird, only to see him become a folk hero up the road, would have been losing him to Kentucky. I just think when a man is open, he should get the ball whether it's 30 feet out on the wing or underneath. It was the only time the Hoosiers had a record that was less than five games over .500 under Knights watch. The Sycamores went 81-13 during Bird's three-year career. . 19 Minnesota showed the teams potential. Born: Dec 7, 1956 (66 years old) . No-Trouble Returns upon All orders. 11 in the AP poll that season and finished the year ranked No. Then he left the local junior college, Northwood Institute. UCLA beat Montana by just three points in its second tournament game, proving the Bruins were a resilient, but mortal, champion. What if IU hired Jerry Tarkanian instead of Bob Knight, What if IU had solved Syracuses zone in 2013. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Complete NBA coaching record for Larry Bird, including regular season and postseason games. His back was also hurting, but Bird came back in the third period to help lift the Celtics to an emotional 124-121 victory. Larry Bird Career Stats | StatMuse Im new at this (coaching) game but I feel I can get the job done, he said. How does Larry Bird compare with other great NBA players? Wore the number 33 on his basketball jersey in high school, college and with the Boston Celtics. At one point, Kentucky was the first school to do the heavy recruiting, according to The Heralds Jerry Birge. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He was out to embarrass him from the beginning buzzer to the end buzzer of every meeting. Even though he had never coached a game in his life, the Pacers had no qualms about turning over the reins to Bird. Larry Bird was a co-star of one of the greatest college basketball national championship games ever Bird vs. Magic, when the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores took on the co-Big Ten champion Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 championship. Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 assists, and 4.5 steals in 82 games during his rookie season in 1979-80. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. That was excellent. Would an 18-year-old Bird have been ready to take a complementary, if not starring, role as a freshman in the second or third weekend of the NCAA tournament? He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. Two months later, he signed his NBA contract with the Boston Celtics. They got married in 1989 and adopted two children: Connor and Mariah Bird. Larry Bird Stats: NBA Career Averages by Year - LandOfBasketball.com Larry Bird's greatest clutch plays with the Celtics That story is largely lost to time and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. TV stations showed film clips of Bird instead of commercials. Birth City: West Baden Springs. On Aug. 18, 1992 he announced his retirement as a player. The following year was Birds last. A disk was removed from his back after the season, but it didnt help all that much. Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes On the day after his uniform was retired in basketball, Larry Bird took the field for both games of a doubleheader in baseball for the Indiana State Sycamores. Dinah likes to keep a low profile, making rare public appearances with her husband at basketball games. ; School Indiana State University; Born December 7, 1956 in West Baden, IN USA; Biographical Information []. Larry Bird. College: Indiana State. He started out as an Indiana Hoosier but later left the school and team coached by the legendary Bobby Knight. The pair made an agreement: A non-conference doubleheader was looming against Kentucky Wesleyan, a perfect low-risk opportunity to put Bird in a baseball uniform. Get to know more about the C's legend below: Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Bird received a scholarship to play for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974, but he dropped out after only one month at Indiana University. As per reports, Bird made around $24 million over the course of his career. Bird earned an assortment of accolades during his time at Indiana State. In 1977-78 the Celtics had compiled a 32-50 record, their worst since 1949-50. He is a graduate of Indiana University. Years later Bird admitted.."if i had it to do all over again, I'd have gone back to Bloomington, after he had gone home". What if Larry Bird hadnt transferred from IU. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. Career information head-to-head including championships won, season and playoff stats, honors and awards and more. Does the most recognized team in Hoosier history double or even, gasp, triple, its national championship haul with Bird in Bloomington in the mid-to-late 70s? Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Check out the top highlights and plays from Larry Bird's storied NBA career. Editors note: This is part of a series of stories revisiting the biggest what-ifs in IU history. Then, however, a loud voice suddenly halted play. What if Larry Bird hadn't transferred from IU? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Benson, of course, was a God in Indiana. Best Known For: Basketball icon . "At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Larry Bird once played college baseball as a dare, and he was actually good, The Clippers Russell Westbrook experiment is off to a terrible start. In his first season, the Pacers with Reggie Miller as their main weapon were defeated by the defending-champion Chicago Bulls and Jordan in a tough seven-game conference finals series. ---------------------------------------------------- Games. Larry Bird once played college baseball as a dare, and he was actually Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. In an effort to stop Bird, Bradley coach Dick Versace installed what was referred to as the "Bird's Nest Defense," where two defenders would guard Bird and the other three defenders would cover the four other Sycamores. Join our linker program. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. When Walsh moved on to a similar role with the Knicks before the 2008-09 season, Bird gained complete control of the teams basketball operations and helped the Pacers end a four-year playoff drought in 2010-11. Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.. College: University of Hoosiers: Religion: Christian: Nationality: American: Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius: Gender: Male: Sexual Orientation: Straight: Marital Status: Married: . Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. The internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Larry Bird Biography: Career, Net Worth, Family, Top Stories for the Odds & lines subject to change. Under the leadership of Hodges, Bird and Co. went undefeated during the 1978-79 season and advanced to face Magic and his Spartans. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. It was merely an escalated version of Warns usual brand of teasing, but Bird had enough and was ready to prove a point. If Larry Bird hasnt transferred from IU because of whatever propelled him from Bloomington the school being too big, homesickness, his courseload, Jim Wismans wardrobe, whatever he potentially provides IU an insurance policy to Mays crippling arm injury in 1975, leading to another Final Four berth if not another title; another headliner to IUs best team ever in 1976; enough singular talent to avoid a post-championship drop-off and Bob Knights worst season at IU in 1977; and, likely, turns IU into another national title favorite in 1978. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Who Were Larry Bird's Best Teammates? The Top 11 Ranked IU had three . His Mom and Dad divorced while Bird was in HS, His dad shot and killed himself a year later. Bird poured in 20 points in the final period to outdo his counterpart and lead the Celtics to victory even though he had bronchial pneumonia. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 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The high school senior was drawing interest from top programs across the country, especially after he added six inches and 50 pounds in roughly two years, but he was focused on the in-state schools recruiting him. Russell Westbrook is being left wide open on offense, and hes still hurting the Clippers. So he cut the ties and went home. Celtics Jamal Mashburn recalled how Larry Bird responded to trash-talk at a 'Dream Team' practice in 1992 "Hey Larry, you ain't hit a jumper since '84." As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. (Larry Legend; The Hick from French Lick), Draft: Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA draft, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable to those of the NBA's best and brightest through his well-rounded play, dizzying . McHale just destroyed him. With Bird in the mix, IUs 1978 team wouldve been built around him, Woodson and Radford. I'm going to assume this is legit because he lists about 20 million sources at the end of it. Bird soon realized that it was actually HE who was the target of Knight's ridicule--because of the way he had come off of a screen in a pick up game. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Maybe theres a chance that Bird filling Mays minutes wouldve led to one of the first Is the backup better than the starter? conversations, now famous on message boards regarding college quarterbacks. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. Gambling problem? the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He missed the competition, and with each passing year the urge grew to get back into the NBA in a more active capacity. Larry Bird, AKA "Larry Legend," was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. He wasnt named to the Associated Press six-player All-State first team or nine-player second team, despite averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds, once putting up 55 points in a game for Springs Valley High School and 34 rebounds in another. Home-game attendance hovered around 3,100 when Bird arrived at Indiana State, but as he had done in Springs Valley, Bird single-handedly packed the house and elevated his team to respectability and more. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. A defensive maven who stifled some of the best stars, Dennis Johnson was an All-Star, a Finals MVP and won three NBA titles. Hodges is credited with recruiting Larry Bird to Indiana State and coached Bird in the famous 1979 NCAA Final against Michigan State. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more - RSN ", Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him he brings out the best in everybody. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. Theres no guarantee Bird wouldve stuck around for his senior season if he had stayed at IU, but doing so couldve allowed him to be the featured scorer on the Hoosiers if he wanted a larger share of shots after playing alongside Benson, the No. He initially enrolled at Indiana University in 1974 but dropped out before the season began. I ran across this short narrative while reading Bobby Knight's book- "Knight-My Story", and thought it might be interesting to share to the board. . From his killer jump shot to his famous trash-talking, Bird could seemingly do it . He was remarking to one of the players before the game that he just wanted to do well; he didnt want to let the team down.. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He just hammered him for being lackadaisical off of the screen and made him leave the open gym session.
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