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Larry Bird Bio
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Larry BirdBasketball legend Larry Bird was born on December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Indiana. Larry grew up in an underprivileged home with little money and an alcoholic father. In 1975, Larry’s father committed suicide. Despite the family’s personal and financial difficulties, Bird excelled at sports. As a high-school sophomore, Larry starred on the French Lick/West Baden's high school team for Springs Valley High School, becoming the best-scoring player in the school’s history.
In 1976, Larry received a basketball scholarship from Indiana University, which had one of the best college basketball programs in the country. Larry left Indiana University after just one month to return to his home, where he enrolled in community college and worked odd jobs including a stint as a garbage man. Larry then enrolled at Indiana State University, and led the ISU Sycamores to the NCAA championship game. The team lost to the Michigan State University Spartans, led by Earvin "Magic" Johnson. That year, Larry was named the top male college basketball player. He left Indiana State after three years as the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history.
In 1978 Larry was drafted to play for the Boston Celtics. He signed with a contract that paid a $650,000 annually, becoming the highest-paid rookie in NBA history. By 1979, Larry was named the league's Rookie of the Year and voted onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team. In the 1980-81 season, Larry led the Boston Celtics to victory in the NBA Finals, marking the first of three championships in his basketball career.
In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the LA Lakers in a seven-game finals. Larry averaged twenty-seven points and fourteen rebounds per game during the series. He also received the award for the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) and was named the league regular season MVP for that year. The following year, however, the Lakers defeated the Celtics in game six of the Finals, led by Larry’s prime rival, Magic Johnson.
In 1986 the Boston Celtics returned to the finals. Larry was again named the Finals' MVP, averaging twenty-four points, ten rebounds, and ten assists per game in the series. He also won his third consecutive league MVP award.
1987 would mark Larry’s last appearance in the Finals. Larry and Magic Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic capturing five and Larry capturing three. The dynamics between the dueling opponents seemed to fuel the interest of sports fans. Larry was an introvert from a blue-collar background; Magic was gregarious and stylish. However, the two were actually good friends off-court, ironically getting to know and like each other while filming a 1984 Converse commercial that depicted them as archrivals.
Larry started the 1988-89 season with the Boston Celtics, but departed after six games to have bone spurs surgically removed from his heels. In 1989 he returned to the Celtics, plagued by back problems, which became progressively worse. During the 1990-1991 season, he missed twenty-two games due to a problematic nerve in his back. Despite having surgery to correct the problem, Larry missed thirty-seven more games during the 1991-1992 season.
In 1992 Larry, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan played for the United States’ basketball team in the Olympics. The "Dream Team" was awarded a gold medal. That same year, on August 18, Larry announced his retirement from the NBA. At his retirement ceremony, Magic Johnson declared Larry as a "friend forever."
In 1992, Larry worked with the Boston Celtics as a special assistant in the team’s front office. He worked there until 1997, when he began coaching the Indiana Pacers. Larry led the Pacers to three straight Eastern Conference finals appearances and the NBA Finals in 2000.
After the 2000 season drew to a close, Larry resigned as coach of the Pacers. In 2003, he returned to the team – this time, as the President of Basketball Operations. YUDDY |
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Larry Bird - Was won over by Bobby Orr in a Boston newspaper poll.
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Larry Bird - Dennis Rodman was respected by many stars inclding Larry Bird.
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Larry Bird - Played with Patrick Ewing .
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Larry Bird - Renowned for the 'friendly rivalry' shared with Magic Johnson .
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