Birth Year: 1956. As many observed, he would see plays not as they were developing, but before they developed. He was a superstar in college basketball, in essence. However, he was eligible to be drafted without applying for "hardship" because his original college class at Indiana University had graduated. He started out as an Indiana Hoosier but later left the school and team coached by the legendary Bobby Knight. In order to finish his college degree, Larry Bird was working at Ballinger's school as a physical education student-teacher just weeks before becoming an . Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote after watching him in the Final Four: "I could not believe The Bird. Published Jan. 28 . Larry Bird is an Indiana basketball legend, starting at Springs Valley High School and running through his playing days at Indiana State . 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. 0:05. Join our linker program. Attendance often reached 1,600 and they were all there to watch the blond-haired shooting whiz with a funny smile named Larry Joe Bird. When I started here, I wanted to see the high school, college and professional basketball worlds come together, and Bird symbolizes that. Find out more. 0%, great for twelfth throughout MLB between eligible remedies. On May 12, 1997, Bird was named head coach of the Indiana Pacers. 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. Indianapolis Star. Bird received a scholarship to play for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974, but he dropped out after only one month at Indiana . Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. It was his first season ever as a college head coach. It may have also hurt him in his transition to a big state school, where he lasted a matter of weeks after the start of the school year. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. No shit! His Mom and Dad divorced while Bird was in HS, His dad shot and killed himself a year later. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Hardly a change of clothes each day. Larry Bird left IU in mid-September of his freshman year, citing too heavy of a course load and his desire to be closer to home. > Archive 75: Larry Bird| 75 Stories: Larry Bird. Or does he simply become the most famous figure from the 1976 squad, adding another Indiana-to-NBA success story and making, I dont know, hand-me-down Larry Bird Sacramento Kings jerseys the most popular commodity at Goodwills in Monroe County in the 1990s and early 2000s? Bird and Johnson were already playing their first year in the NBA by then. Indiana vs. Michigan State: Womens basketball game notes, how to watch, more, Everything you need to know about the Champs Big Ten tournament quarterfinal matchup, Three Things: Indiana mens basketball loses to Iowa 90-68, Indiana mens basketball collapses against Iowa 90-68, Indiana womens basketball: Big Ten awards announced. Could you imagine Bob Knights reaction if, just three years after IU became the most recent undefeated national champion, the Hoosiers lost that distinction to an in-state school (and not even Purdue or Notre Dame, but Indiana State) that was led by an outbound IU transfer? "All that shooting off the side of a barn turned into Bird becoming a high school star. 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. Indiana womens basketball Q&A: HooplaWyatt on the Big Ten Tournament. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record. 10 Bird Was A Part Of The Most Watched College Game Ever 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 . When the Celtics named Rick Pitino as the franchises new president and coach, Bird knew any role for him in Boston would be a limited one. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. French Lick had a population of 2,059, most of whom came out to watch Springs Valley High Schools home games in a state that takes its schoolboy basketball very seriously. 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? 18 Alabama and No. School: Indiana StatePosition: ForwardHeight: 6-9Weight: 220 poundsYears active: 1976-79NCAA tournament record: 4-1Career averages: 30.3 points per game, 13.3 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, 53.3% shooting. games played = 41.4 ppg This is going off of their college career . Home; Tickets; Schedule. Maybe in ways that we cant totally appreciate, measure or describe, the NCAA tournament might just be five percent less today if Bird never winds up in Terre Haute. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. Bird's stats are about as crazy as one would expect one the greatest players of all time to be if they played in a mid-major conference. I have all the confidence in the world that Ill be able to handle these guys and do the things that are necessary to win games.. Bird would typically start offensive possessions on the right block, where he would utilize the right corner of the floor, the fre-throw line extended and the opposite wing. Mike Hayes, a Kentucky Wesleyan player, recounted the game, vividly remembering Birds bizarre, ungainly swing. Having collected 7,217 defensive boards and 1,757 on the offensive end, Bird has accounted for 8,974 rebounds in total in his career. Bird signed autographs for fans in attendance and Kentucky Wesleyan players before walking off the field that day. Bird found the transition to college life difficult. A brutal sucker punch in the OVC tournament stopped the game in its tracks. . After the 2011-12 season, Bird stepped down as the Pacers president of basketball operations, citing health issues. Let me be clear, college basketball would look and feel the same if Bird never transferred from IU to ISU, but the 1979 national championship game Bird vs. Magic is still the highest-rated college basketball game of all-time, with a 24.1 rating for a game in which 38 percent of all TVs in the country that were turned on at the time were tuned into Indiana State vs. Michigan State on NBC. As a senior at Springs Valley High School, Bird averaged nearly 31 points and 21 rebounds per game. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, former coach and former executive. not larry bird basketball shorts 9%, the greatest considering that 2019 plus great for 90th percentile amongst certified remedies in most associated with football. Find out more. Do you have a sports website? He was also called Kodak by his first NBA coach, Bill Fitch, . May 16, 2022. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Lost to most people in the basketball statistics for the Springs Valley team that year, however, was a short piece in a Bedford newspaper that noted, "The freshman free-throw trophy was presented to Larry Bird. Bird did a fine job in his three seasons on the bench. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. And Warn, firm in his belief Bird would look foolish on a baseball field, was willing to give him the chance to embarrass himself. When the doubleheader was over, hed finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs while recording nine putouts from first base in the second game. He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. NCAA Tournament. Its also fair to speculate that the south wall of Assembly Hall might be a little more crowded if Larry Bird had never transferred from IU. His focus was on the court. 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). The highlight of Bird's three-year collegiate career came in 1979, when he led the Sycamores to a 33-0 record and their first NCAA Tournament berth in the program's history. Bird took just two shots that night and made both, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, while he helped teammates Carl Nicks and Steve Reed score 50 combined. Larry Bird was originally in the recruiting class of 1974. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Regarding per game stats, Bird is averaging 6.8 dimes and 9.6 rebounds. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. He missed the competition, and with each passing year the urge grew to get back into the NBA in a more active capacity. So it is a moot point. Having collected 7,217 defensive boards and 1,757 on the offensive end of the court, Bird has accounted for 8,974 total boards in his career. 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. 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. FIBA Senior Team Events Stats. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Larry Bird, in full Larry Joe Bird, (born December 7, 1956, West Baden, Indiana, U.S.), American basketball player who led the Boston Celtics to three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships (1981, 1984, and 1986) and is considered one of the greatest pure shooters of all time. He has accounted for 1,556 steals, as well as 755 blocks and 5,695 assists. IU had three . Larry Bird was originally in the recruiting class of 1974. Imagine what he wouldve done with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and future NBA players as teammates! After working at municipal jobs for a year Bird enrolled at Indiana State and was accepted into their program. I didn't say that Bird was the best college basketball player of all time. As a senior, Bird became the schools all-time scoring champion and about 4,000 people attended his final home game. On Aug. 18, 1992 he announced his retirement as a player. 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. Bird finished with 49 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. As of today, his net worth is around $75 million. When Bird elected to return to Indiana State for one more year, the Celtics dipped to 29-53. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? A disk was removed from his back after the season, but it didnt help all that much. For 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979-80 through 1991-92, Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play as a scorer, a passer, a rebounder, a defender, a team player, and, perhaps above all, as a clutch performer. The following year was Birds last. Scott Horner. Taking a look at the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's historic season for the Nuggets. College: Indiana State. Data Provided By Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. View Comments. Started collecting garbage upon his return to French Lick. He even plays defense, although that's not what's causing the NBA Boston Celtics to salivate over him.". The players looked up to see Coach Knight, just recently returned from an out of state trip, having an absolute cow and cussing up a storm, throwing shit and marching across the floor from the open doorway he had been peeking through. Navigation Toggle NBA. Larry Bird redshirted (sat out) his freshman year, and therefore, like Maravich, Robertson, and Hayes, his totals were also achieved in only three . If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. OT: Larry Bird College Statistics. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Coming out of Springs Valley, Bird chose IU over Indiana State and Purdue after being pursued by more than 50 schools, according to The Herald (Jasper, Ind.). Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. They teamed with Bird and veteran Cedric Maxwell in a frontcourt that carried the Celtics to the championship in 1981. What if Phil Dickens and IU football hadnt gotten the whole dang department sanctioned? Bird played with a total of eight Hall of Fame players, though a couple played only a few games alongside him. In the last 7 years, I've been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. Bird was named the 1978-79 College Player of the Year and left Indiana State as the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history. Add the best version of Larry Bird in college, one capable of averaging roughly 30 and 15 at Indiana State, and the Hoosiers might have had another title contender in 1978 if the Hick from French Lick was still in Bloomington. Or write about sports? Larry Bird Rookie Year Stats. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. My goal is to . If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. They both finished their college playing careers in the spring of 1979. RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. Player Season Finder . January 19, 2023 3:00 am ET. Drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in . Celtics Wire. Larry used BB tThe internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. Larry Bird Comparisons: ( players sorted by last name ) - A-Larry Bird vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Gambling problem? Bird's Pacers fell in the East finals in '98 and '99, then came up short in the NBA Finals in 2000 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Carr was his best teammate. Benson, of course, was a God in Indiana. One basketball coach, however, apparently missed the memo. What if former IU football coach Clyde Smith hadnt resigned after an open and undercover campaign to oust him? Here you have the answers. He averaged better than 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Sycamores during his first campaign. Larry Bird was born on 7 December 1956, making him 64 years old as of today, 2 August 2021. With Bird as the focal point of a well-rounded squad, the Celtics won three NBA titles and 10 Atlantic Division crowns. Larry used BB to escape from his family problems! Bob Knights worst team at IU, by record, was the 1977, post-title team. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Kent Benson was the bigest name in Indiana basketball back then, but an A1 arrogant asshole as well, at least by most accounts of those who knew him. 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. Larry Bird Ball was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. Benson would do things like figure out which side of the court Bird was warming up on, for instance, then come over and take the ball away from him and order Bird off to the other end of the floor. With Bird in the mix, IUs 1978 team wouldve been built around him, Woodson and Radford. (. I also really believe he can be a heck of a coach. He averaged a career-high 29.9 points that year, falling just five points short of averaging 30 per contest. This guy is the epitome of everything Ive tried to do here, then-Pacers president Donnie Walsh said of Bird. 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. McHale just destroyed him. Those would be my first two." When asked if personal statistics matter, he responded: "Yes, it is about numbers. Bird had actually nailed the jumper from the corner. He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. Despite joking that he hoped he could get the Xs and Os right in the huddle, and that he didnt draw up any plays with himself in them, Bird approached his new role with typical aww-shucks aplomb. Not just some guy. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season, Triple-double win streak shows Jokic dominance, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for March 3. Name: Larry Bird. He's a 3-time NBA Champion, a 12-time all-star, and he was named to countless NBA teams during his roughly 13 years on the Celtics. UCLA beat Montana by just three points in its second tournament game, proving the Bruins were a resilient, but mortal, champion. Jobbade sedan i Celtics frn 1992 till 1997 och coachade sedan Indiana Pacers frn 1997 till 2000. 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. So he cut the ties and went home. 2 Notre Dame, No. He's an impressive figure with incredible rivalries, but there are still tons of things that younger NBA fans should know about Larry Legend. Larry Bird's book is incredible. In 2003, he joined the Pacers front office as the teams president of basketball operations and worked side-by-side with Walsh to rebuild Indiana into a contender. 11 in the AP poll that season and finished the year ranked No. 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. Tiago Splitter solid in NBA playoff debut Beginning with favorable, Pagns TIME is normally 2 . Real men play with balls this size, Warn said, glaring at Bird. Experience: 13 years. Benson was an all time great college player, but really just a servicable pro. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. Larry Bird's journey began in the small rural community of French Lick, Indiana. Bird was 20, 21 and 22 years old when he eventually played college ball for Indiana State. Birth City: West Baden Springs. On The Players Tribune's "Knuckleheads" podcast, former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn said Rogers had talked trash to Bird after a day of practice between the 1992 College Select Team and the 1992 Dream Team.. After a practice, as a group of players were standing around, Mashburn said .