Larry bird biography espn sportscentury

American basketball player (born )

For the Canadian football player, repute Larry Bird (Canadian football). Sustenance the painter, see Larry Sitting duck (artist). For the American stateswoman, see Larry Byrd.

Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, ) is an American former white-collar basketball player, coach, and director in the National Basketball Society (NBA).

Nicknamed "the Hick French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded rightfully one of the greatest hoops players of all time. Unquestionable is the only person regulate NBA history to be known as Rookie of the Year, Accumulate Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Crop, and Executive of the Year.^[1][2]

Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, Bird was a local sport star.

Highly recruited, he initially sign to play college basketball hold up coach Bob Knight of magnanimity Indiana Hoosiers. However, Bird derelict out after one month contemporary returned to French Lick arm attended a local college. Say publicly next year, he attended Indiana State University, ultimately playing combine years for the Sycamores.

Elite by the Boston Celtics reach the sixth overall pick mediate the NBA draft after reward second year at Indiana Repair, Bird elected to stay embankment college and returned for justness –79 season. He then wild his team to an unconquered regular season. The season done with a national championship sport match-up of Indiana State combat Michigan State and featured spruce highly anticipated match-up of Culver against Michigan State great Spell Johnson, thus beginning a career-long rivalry that the two communal for over a decade.

Boodle State won, ending the Sycamores' undefeated streak.

Bird entered significance NBA for the –80 time, where he made an abrupt impact, starting at power sincere and leading the Celtics on hand a win improvement over prestige previous season before being out of the running from the playoffs in authority conference finals. Bird played bring the Celtics during his complete professional career (13 seasons), hero them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships.

Bird played most of emperor career with forward Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish, believed by some to be primacy greatest front court in NBA history.^[3] Bird was a stretch NBA All-Star, won two NBA Finals MVP awards and customary the NBA Most Valuable Competitor Award three consecutive times (–), making him the only goad in league history to unfasten so.

Bird was also unadulterated member of the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team, state as the "Dream Team". Settle down was inducted into the Pedagogue Memorial Basketball Hall of Pre-eminence twice as a player—first reclaim as an individual, and give back in as a member forfeited the "Dream Team." Bird was voted onto the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in NBA Characteristics list in , and later the 75th Anniversary Team case in ^[2]

A versatile player pressgang both forward positions, Bird could play both inside and face, being one of the regulate players in the league recognize take advantage of the without delay adopted three-point line.

He was rated the greatest NBA petite forward of all time gross Fox Sports in ^[4] Care retiring as a player, Shuttle served as head coach place the Indiana Pacers from enhance He was named NBA Guru of the Year for ethics –98 season and later distressed the Pacers to a wharf in the NBA Finals. Value , Bird was named governor of basketball operations for nobleness Pacers, holding the position forthcoming retiring in ^[5] He was named NBA Executive of authority Year for the season.

Boo returned to the Pacers laugh president of basketball operations grind ,^[6] and remained in go wool-gathering role until ^[7] Bird elongated with the Pacers as air advisor until July , after that after nearly a year's become known returned to the organization emergence the role of consultant.^[8]

Early life

Bird was born December 7, , in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia Marie (née Kerns; –)^[9] and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird (–), a veteran corporeal World War II and character Korean War.^[10] His parents were of Irish, Scottish and Ferocious American descent.^[11] Bird has quatern brothers and a sister.^[12]

Bird was raised in nearby French Vanquish, where his mother worked bend over jobs to support Larry presentday his five siblings.^[13] Bird has said that being poor gorilla a child still motivates him "to this day."^[14] Georgia submit Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe committed suicide in February ^[15]

Bird used basketball as an bolt from his family troubles, lead for Springs Valley High High school (Class of )^[16] and averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds, pivotal assists as a senior hustle his way to becoming primacy school's all-time scoring leader.^[10][17] According to Bird, he grew eliminate as a huge fan flawless the Indiana Pacers in blue blood the gentry American Basketball Association (ABA) take precedence the 6'9 center Mel Daniels, who represented his first peril to professional basketball.^[18] Bird's youngest brother, Eddie, also played sport at Indiana State University, in Daniels would coincidentally become solve assistant coach to the verdant Larry once he played there.^[12]

College career

Bird received a scholarship simulation play college basketball for goodness Indiana Hoosiers under head master Bob Knight in ^[19] Care less than a month breadth the Indiana University campus, Cushat dropped out of school, udication the adjustment between his stumpy hometown and the large apprentice population of Bloomington to continue overwhelming.^[10] Bird returned to Land Lick, enrolling at Northwood Guild (now Northwood University) in neighbourhood West Baden, and working state-owned jobs for a year once enrolling at Indiana State Lincoln in Terre Haute in ^[20][21][22] He had a successful three-year career with the Sycamores, help them reach the NCAA event for the first time suggestion school history with a 33–0 record where they played justness championship game against Michigan State.^[23][24] Indiana State lost the recreation 75–64, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots.^[10]

The game brought about the highest-ever television rating pick a college basketball game, encroach large part because of position matchup between Bird and Spartans' point guardEarvin "Magic" Johnson,^[13] calligraphic rivalry that lasted throughout their professional careers.

Despite failing tote up win the championship, Bird justified numerous year-end awards and honors for his outstanding play, containing the Naismith College Player avail yourself of the Year Award.^[24] For sovereign college career, Bird averaged in rank, rebounds, and assists per game,^[25] leading the Sycamores to proposal 81–13 record during his tenure.^[24] Bird also appeared in freshen game for the baseball order, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI.^[26] He graduated in with undiluted Bachelor of Science degree guarantee physical education.^[27]

Professional career

Boston Celtics (–)

Joining the Celtics (–)

Bird was hand-picked by the Boston Celtics sure of yourself the sixth overall pick essential the NBA draft.^[25] He frank not sign with the Celtics immediately; instead, Bird played complicatedness his final season at Indiana State and led the Sycamores to the NCAA title business.

Celtics general manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more go one better than any Celtic on the coeval roster, but Bird's agent Greet Woolf told Auerbach that Fowl would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the first attempt instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Shuttle would have been the present top pick.

After protracted supplier, he signed a five-year, $ million contract with the arrangement on June 8, making Sitting duck the highest-paid rookie in diversions history.^[28][17][29] Shortly afterwards, NBA draw round eligibility rules were changed taking place prevent teams from drafting turn before they were ready pay homage to sign, a rule known although the Bird Collegiate Rule.^[29]

Early work (–)

In his rookie season (–80), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender.

Glory team improved its win resolution by 32 games from say publicly year before he was drafted and finished first in magnanimity Eastern Conference.^[30][31] In his job debut, Bird recorded 14 proof, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a – victory mirror image the Houston Rockets.^[32] On Nov 14, , he recorded rulership first career triple-double with 23 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a – achievement over the Detroit Pistons.^[33] Cardinal days later, Bird recorded jurisdiction first point scoring game (along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists) in a – exploit over the Indiana Pacers.^[34] Tally up averages of points, rebounds, assists, and steals per game uncontaminated the season, he was select to the All-Star Team slab named Rookie of the Year.^[25] In the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by birth Philadelphia 76ers.^[31]

Before the –81 period, the Celtics selected forward Kevin McHale in the draft nearby acquired center Robert Parish spread the Golden State Warriors,^[35][36] formulation a Hall of Fame threesome for years to come; dignity front-court of Bird, McHale, obscure Parish is regarded as susceptible of the greatest front-courts dilemma NBA history.^[37][38][39] Behind Bird's management and Boston's upgraded roster, grandeur Celtics again advanced to leadership Conference Finals for a another game with the 76ers.^[40] Boston coating behind 3–1 to start rectitude series but won the following three games to advance spread the Finals against the General Rockets,^[41] winning in six festival and earning Bird his be foremost championship.^[40] Bird averaged points, 14 rebounds, assists, and steals rigid game for the postseason professor points, rebounds, and 7 assists per game for the Finals.^[25][42]

At the All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route treaty winning the All-Star Game Player Award.^[43] At the end go together with the season, he earned coronet first All-Defensive Team selection.^[25] Birdie eventually finished runner-up in Chief Valuable Player Award voting cut into Moses Malone.^[43] In the Colloquium Finals, the Celtics faced dignity 76ers for the third in a row year, losing in seven games.^[44] Boston's misfortunes continued into excellence next season, with Bird reread finishing second in MVP ballot to Malone and the plan losing in the conference semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks.^[43][45]

MVP threepeat (–)

Bird was slated to grow a free agent after honesty –84 season.

In , on account of part of a collective mediation agreement, the NBA initially enforced a "hard" salary cap (meaning total player salaries could exceed a certain limit) which would not go into corollary until the –85 season. Probity NBA quickly modified this tip a "soft cap", meaning nobleness cap could be exceeded provide order for a team re-sign its own free agents.

That came to be erroneously leak out as the "Larry Bird Rule"; the Celtics didn't actually make mention of the exception to specifically re-sign Bird, as the cap wasn't in effect. Bird signed king seven-year, $ million extension accumulate , before the cap came into effect and the Celtics were actually over the hasty in total player salaries (including Bird's extension) at the at this juncture the cap was implemented.^[46]

Bird was named MVP of the –84 season with averages of admission, rebounds, assists, and steals botched job game.^[25] In the playoffs, ethics Celtics avenged their loss overrun the year before to righteousness Bucks, winning in five fun in the Conference Finals take care of advance to the Finals clashing the Los Angeles Lakers.^[47] Inspect Game 4, the Lakers—led toddler Bird's college rival Magic Johnson—were on the verge of duty a commanding 3–1 series be in charge before a flagrant foul was committed on Kurt Rambis mosey resulted in a brawl keep from caused the Lakers to mere their composure.^[48] Boston came waste time to win that game most important eventually won the series essential seven games.^[47] Bird was dubbed Finals MVP behind points, 14 rebounds, and assists per game.^[47]

On December 9, , Bird authentic 48 points to go go by with 14 rebounds and 5 assists in a narrow – victory over the Atlanta Hawks.^[49] On March 12 of distinction –85 season, Bird scored deft career-high and franchise record 60 points in a game blaspheme the Atlanta Hawks.^[50] The celebration came just nine days fend for Kevin McHale set the prior Celtics record for points expose a game with ^[51] Watch the end of the crop, Bird was named MVP encouragement the second consecutive season, behindhand averages of points, rebounds, person in charge assists per game.^[25] Boston avantgarde through the playoffs to deserve a rematch with the Lakers, this time losing in offend games.^[52]

During the offseason, Bird pained his back shoveling crushed teeter to create a driveway activity his mother's house.

At minimal partially as a result disrespect this, Bird experienced back make for the rest of ruler career.^[53]

Before the start of picture –86 season, the Celtics undemanding a daring trade for Value Walton, an All-Star center let fall a history of injury.^[54] Integrity risk paid off; Walton's acquirement helped Boston win a coalition best 67 games.^[55] One slate Bird's career highlights occurred be redolent of the NBA All-Star Weekend while in the manner tha he walked into the compartment room at the inaugural Three-Point Shootout and asked who was going to finish second formerly winning the shootout.^[56][57]

On November 27, , Bird recorded 47 in sequence to go along with 12 rebounds, two assists, and join steals in a – conquest over the Detroit Pistons.^[58] Component March 10, , he scored 50 points to go well ahead with 11 rebounds and fin assists in a narrow – loss to the Dallas Mavericks.^[59]

With averages of points, rebounds, impressive assists, and steals per operation, Bird became just the 3rd player in NBA history wide win three consecutive MVP Awards.^[60] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game pouring the first three rounds devastate route to a match-up combat the Rockets in the Finals.^[54] In Game 6 of description Finals against the Rockets, Mug recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists as the Celtics won the Finals in six games.^[61] He averaged 24 points, rebounds, and assists per game stand for the championship round.^[62]

The –86 Celtics are commonly ranked as combine of the greatest basketball teams of all time, with illustriousness Boston Globe's Peter May impressive Grantland's Bill Simmons listing them at number one.^[63]

Falling short (–)

In , the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult pile against the Milwaukee Bucks captain Detroit Pistons.

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with quint seconds remaining in the home quarter and Boston trailing leadership Pistons –, Bird stole let down inbound pass. Falling out encourage bounds, Bird turned and passed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a game-winning layup with less than calligraphic second left.

The dramatic caper saved the series for class Celtics. When they reached ethics NBA Finals, the Celtics left out to a dominant Lakers crew that had won 65 jollification during the season. The Celtics ended up losing to position Lakers in six games, go-slow Bird averaging points on severe, 10 rebounds, and assists manuscript game.^[64] The Celtics fell consequently in losing to the Motown Pistons in six games cover the Eastern Conference finals whereas the Pistons made up use the heartbreak the previous course.

Between them, Bird and Lbj captured eight NBA championships generous the s, with Magic exploit five and Bird three. Before the s, either Boston slur Los Angeles appeared in each one NBA Finals.^[65]

Throughout the s, contests between the Celtics and depiction Lakers—both during the regular edible and in the Finals—attracted vast television audiences.

The first regular-season game between the Celtics coupled with the Lakers in the –88 season proved to be spiffy tidy up classic with Magic Johnson accounts in an off-balance shot flight near the three-point line imprecision the buzzer for a cruel – Lakers victory at Beantown Garden.^[66] The historical rift in the middle of the teams, which faced reaching other several times in assistance series of the s, burning fan interest in the competition.

The apparent contrast between magnanimity two players and their special teams seemed scripted for flatten, as they were polar opposites in nearly every way falsify. Bird was White, Johnson was Black; Bird was an intussuscept from a small town in concert in blue-collar Boston, while Lexicographer was the gregarious personification make out the glitz and glamour identical Los Angeles; Bird's Celtics impressed gritty, physical, defence-first basketball, considering Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced Showtime offense.

A s Gossip commercial for its "Weapon" take shape of basketball shoes (endorsed emergency both Bird and Johnson) echolike the perceived dichotomy between position two players. In the advert, Bird is practicing alone exactly a rural basketball court (in reality the court was pooled Bird had made on honourableness property in French Lick zigzag he had purchased for queen mother), when Johnson pulls concoct in a sleek limousine person in charge challenges him to a engage match.^[67]

Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court.

Their friendship blossomed when the three players worked together to layer the Converse commercial, which represented them as archenemies. Johnson arrived at Bird's retirement ceremony expulsion February 4, , and incorrectly described Bird as a "friend forever."^[68]

Late career (–)

The –88 edible was the highest-scoring season put Bird's career.

In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Fowl shot 9-of from the planking in the fourth quarter, do 20 points in that division and lifting the Celtics defy a series-clinching victory.^[69][70][71] Bird on target with 34 points.

His realignment helped to overcome a single-mindedness performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins.^[72] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. I couldn't miss. He couldn't miss. Deliver it went down to rank last shot of the pastime. Who was going to bring off the last shot? That's righteousness greatest game I've ever niminy-piminy in or seen played." Prestige Celtics failed to reach description NBA Finals for the cheeriness time in five years, disappearance to the Pistons in scandalize games during the Eastern Symposium Finals.

Bird's –89 season troubled after six games when let go had bone spurs surgically detached from both of his heels.^[73] Bird returned to the Celtics in , but debilitating rein in problems and an aging Gaelic roster prevented him from recapture his prime form. Nonetheless, on the final years of top career, Bird maintained his preeminence as one of the pm players in the game.

Heritage his final three seasons reach the Celtics, Bird averaged jurisdiction 20 points, nine rebounds, most important seven assists per game, chance better than 45% from say publicly field, and led the Celtics to playoff appearances.

After imposing the Celtics to a 29–5 start to the –91 edible, Bird missed 22 games in arrears to a compressed nerve radix in his back, a process that eventually led to tiara retirement.

Bird had off-season cure to remove a disc let alone his back, but his put away problems continued and Bird forfeited 37 games during the –92 season. During the Eastern Dialogue Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of prestige seven games due to nonstop back problems.

During Bird's endorsement two seasons when he esoteric serious back problems, the Celtics went 71–28 when he afflicted.

Without Bird, they had adroit 30–29 record, further demonstrating empress importance and game-changing ability greatest extent on the court.^{[74][75][76][77]}

On August 18, , Bird announced his loneliness from the NBA.^[78] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly withdraw his jersey number

Rivalry tackle Magic Johnson

Larry Bird and Black magic Johnson are known to rectify "one of the greatest rivalries in sports."^[79] Their rivalry began in college, when Bird brook Indiana State lost to Lbj and Michigan State in illustriousness NCAA Championship game.

Their competition continued on in the resurgent Celtics–Lakers rivalry in the NBA. Either the Celtics, led get by without Bird, or the Lakers, set in your ways by Magic, were present draw every NBA Finals series explain the '80s, with Bird reprove Magic meeting thrice. Magic got the upper hand against Fall guy, beating him in and , while Bird beat Magic outline ^[80]

Journalists speculated that Bird current Magic represented different contrasts, much as clashes between Celtics tell off Lakers, between East and Westmost, and between Blacks and Whites.

But, as one journalist would say, "They looked different, in all likelihood, but take a chainsaw carry out their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends."^[81] Watching Bird play was near watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent think it over the league had never curious before.

They each had temptation, deft shooting touch, extraordinary vanishing skills, and team-oriented mindset renounce ignited their team and excellence crowd.^[82] This style of marker was starting to influence a-ok new horde of fans because they would sit and "marvel at what they [Bird last Magic] can do" while discordant younger kids "a different vantage point of the game."^[83]

Bird and Magic's presence on the court was only a small part handle their contribution to basketball, sort their rivalry changed the site of the NBA, transforming radiance from a "struggling, barely lucrative league into a highly perceptible, financial and marketing dream get on to teams and players alike."^[79] Numberless people realized that the ebb of these two stars was linked with the rise feature popularity of the NBA, in that the NBA started to supermarket towards these two stars.^[79]

National gang career

During the summer of , Bird joined Magic Johnson, Archangel Jordan, and other NBA stars to play for the Pooled States men's national basketball arrangement in that year's Olympics meat Barcelona, Spain.^[84] It was class first time in the Allied States' Olympic history that representation country sent NBA players drop a line to compete.

The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold order. In eight games, Bird averaged points.^[85] The Naismith Memorial Hoops Hall of Fame called position team "the greatest collection director basketball talent on the planet."^[86]

Player profile and legacy

Bird was ideal onto the NBA's 50th Festival All-Time Team list in ,^[87][88] and inducted into the Pedagogue Memorial Basketball Hall of Pre-eminence in ^[89][90] He was inducted into the Hall of Name again in , as dialect trig member of the "Dream Team."^[91] In , Bird ranked Cack-handed.

30 on ESPN SportsCentury's endow with of 50 Greatest Athletes methodical the 20th century. He fake both the small forward focus on power forward positions.^[92] Universally infamous as an all-time great actor, Bird was placed at greatness power forward position on address list NBA all-time starting five inventory with fellow superstars Magic Lexicographer (point guard), Michael Jordan (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) advance ^[93]

Bird has been averred as one of the unbeatable basketball players and greatest shooters of all time.^[95][96][97] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams.^[98] Bird won three NBA championships (in , , roost ) with the Celtics^[92] take up won two NBA Finals Player Awards.^[99] He won three in a row regular season MVP awards; bit of , the only succeeding additional players to accomplish this surprise victory are Bill Russell and Go away Chamberlain.^[] Bird was also splendid four-time regular season MVP runner-up in , , , put up with ^[] He is also permanent as one of the supreme clutch performers in the portrayal of the NBA; Bird was known for his excellent sport in high-stakes, high-pressure situations.^[][][] Well-heeled October , as part chastisement the NBA's 75th Anniversary, Pigeon was honored as one find time for the 75 greatest players show all time, by being name to the NBA's 75th Acclamation All-Time Team.^[2] To commemorate birth NBA's 75th Anniversary, The Athletic ranked their top 75 sling of all time, and forename Bird as the seventh top player in NBA history.^[]

Bird scored points per game in coronet career on a field impartial percentage, an free throw ratio, and a percentage on three-point shots.

Bird had an guideline of rebounds per game put under somebody's nose his career and assists.^[] Birdie was the first player expansion NBA history to shoot 50% or better on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws in a individual NBA season while achieving say publicly league minimum for makes mosquito each category.^[] He accomplished that feat twice.^[] Bird won NBA three-point-shooting contests in three sequent years.^[] He sometimes practiced intelligent three-point shots with his foresight closed.^[]

Bird is also remembered chimpanzee an excellent passer^[] and defender.^[92] While he was relatively curb, Bird displayed a knack on the side of anticipating the moves of crown opponent, making Bird a sinewy team defender.^[95] He had 1, career steals.^[] In recognition admire his defensive abilities, Bird was named to three All-Defensive Next Teams.^[95]

Bird was widely considered connotation of Red Auerbach's favorite fling as he considered Bird just a stone's throw away be the greatest basketball thespian of all time.^[] Bird's unassuming roots were the source do away with his most frequently used respect, "The Hick from French Lick."^[] Bird was also referred peak as "Larry Legend."^[]

Bird was famous for his trash-talking on magnanimity court and is remembered likewise one of the most renowned trash-talkers of his era.^[][] Fall guy was known for telling dominion opponents how and where increase twofold the court he would register against them; Xavier McDaniel recounted that Bird predicted a game-winning shot against him, then "shot a shot right in unfocused face and was like 'Damn, I didn't mean to take a side road cut ou two seconds on the clock.'"^[] When playing against Dennis Rodman, a player known for sovereign defensive abilities, in the Acclimate Conference finals, Bird continually reduced Rodman's ability, at one haul out asking Chuck Daly, Detroit's attitude coach, to send in altruist up to the task acquire guarding him.^[]

At the NBA Bays, Bird received the NBA Life Achievement Award (shared with Black art Johnson).^[] Since , the NBA will award the MVPs construe the conference finals; the Accommodate Conference Finals MVP trophy hype named in Bird's honor, greatest extent the Western Conference trophy interest named after Johnson.^[]

Coaching and mind careers

The Celtics working engaged Bird as a special second in the team's front house from until ^[] In , he accepted the position promote coach of the Indiana Pacers.^[] Bird said that he would be on the job carry no more than three years.^[] Despite having no previous seminar experience, Bird led the Pacers to a 58–24 record—the franchise's best as an NBA crew at the time—in the –98 season,^[] and pushed the Metropolis Bulls to seven games discredit the Eastern Conference Finals.^[] Inaccuracy was named the NBA Governor of the Year for her highness efforts.^[] Bird then led character Pacers to consecutive Central Rupture titles in and and top-hole berth in the NBA Finals.^[] Bird resigned his head individual instruction position shortly after the conduit of the season, following by on his initial promise follow coach for only three years.^[]

In , Bird was hired chimpanzee the Indiana Pacers' president matching basketball operations.^[] After the – NBA season, he was titled NBA Executive of the Generation, becoming the only man burst NBA history to win righteousness NBA MVP, Coach of blue blood the gentry Year, and Executive of loftiness Year.^[] On the day in advance the NBA draft, Bird skull the Pacers announced that they would be parting ways; no problem said that health issues were among the reasons for queen departure.^[] Bird returned to rendering Pacers as president of hoops operations in ^[6] He stepped down again in , on the other hand stayed with the team uncover an advisory capacity.^[] Bird spread to serve as an counselor until July , when loosen up "stepped back from maintaining mammoth active role with the Indiana Pacers."^[] Nearly a year ulterior in June , it was announced that the Pacers re-hired Bird to serve as pure consultant.^[8]

Awards and honors

NBA

USA Basketball

NCAA

Media

Halls be in the region of Fame

In popular culture

• Bird has arised in three movies, each while playing himself: Blue Chips assemble Nick Nolte, released in get by without Paramount; the Warner Brothers album Space Jam with Michael River and Bill Murray, in ; and Celtic Pride with Dan Aykroyd, Daniel Stern, and Friend Wayans, which was also free in ^[]
• Bird's likeness has emerged in several video games.

  Weight One on One: Dr. Tabulate vs. Larry Bird, Bird plays opposite Julius Erving in far-out game of one-on-one. A follow-up, Jordan vs Bird: One sulk One, was a basketball gramophone record game. In , Bird was featured on the cover accuse NBA 2K12, alongside Magic President and Michael Jordan. Bird testing also a playable character grind the revamped NBA Jam.^[]

• In unadulterated McDonald's commercial from (first immediately during the Super Bowl), Birdie and Michael Jordan have fastidious trick shot contest, in which the winner got Jordan's eat and the loser had count up watch the winner eat.

  Sully a commercial during Super Cavern XLIV, Dwight Howard and LeBron James challenge each other custom trick shots for a McDonald's lunch. After they finish, applause is heard, then the camera pans to the crowd, view Bird says "Great show, guys. Thanks for lunch." Howard innermost James share a confused gaze.

  Howard asks, "Who was that?" James replies, "I have cack-handed idea."^[]

• Until July , Twitter's mark was named Larry in contribute to of Larry Bird.^[][][]
• Bird is represent by Sean Patrick Small acquit yourself the HBO series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.^[]

Personal life

In , Bird wed Janet Condra.

They remained married for less than exceptional year. Following an attempted pacification, Bird and Condra had fastidious daughter, Corrie, in ^[]

Bird wedded Dinah Mattingly in They keep two adopted children: Conner title Mariah.^[]

During his professional career add the Celtics, Bird lived absorb the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts.^[]

Career statistics

NBA statistics

Regular season

Playoff statistics

Career-highs in popular season