Learn more and register, International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. Scott Horner. 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? Bobby said at this same time he (Knight) made a very huge mistake with having Bird room with an exceptional sophistcated player, with a very vibrant personalitythe complete opposite of Bird ..it was a very bad match-up..and Bird left school even before pre-season practice had started..He hitchiked home.and stayed! An undefeated IU team with a healthy Scott May or Larry Bird, let alone both, wouldve made for a compelling matchup with Woodens final UCLA team. Larry Bird is an Indiana basketball legend, starting at Springs Valley High School and running through his playing days at Indiana State . 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. They got married in 1989 and adopted two children: Connor and Mariah Bird. Career NBA statistics; Points: Rebounds: Assists: Stats at Basketball-Reference.com: . (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana, High School: 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 . Three-time NBA champion with Boston Celtics - 1981 . Bird was one of the best scorers in the country, a big forward who led the way for the Sycamores from the Missouri Valley Conference to the biggest national stage. He won the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2012 to become the only person in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Sycamores went 81-13 during Birds three-year career. The Official Store of the Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey for College. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The following year Bird posted the third-longest free-throw streak in NBA history, hitting 71 consecutive attempts. The Whole Bird thing reminds me of that old country song"I overlooked and orchid while searching for a rose"! 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. He just hammered him for being lackadaisical off of the screen and made him leave the open gym session. But even though one might expect that he, a superstar, would live a high life of splashing cash every day, that wasn't at all the case with Larry. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). In 1975, he enrolled at Indiana State. He once saw to it that McHale went for 40+ against Benson, ordering the guys to just feed the ball into Mchale every time down the floor. He said he was prepared to leave the team after the 2010-11 season with the Pacers headed in the right direction. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) . Neither Birds hometown of French Lick nor West Baden had a daily newspaper at the time, nor was either home to a radio or TV station. Or write about sports? Not at the same time. The Celtics, however, fell to the Pistons in the conference finals. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. 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. It wasnt just that Bird played; he stunned everyone watching that day. Or write about sports? Bird chose IU because he likes coach Bobby Knight, the players, the fans and the way they have things set up there, according to The Noblesville Ledger. Before the draft, Larry Bird had just finished his junior year at Indiana State. The Hick from French Lick. The Boston Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. During his career he shot .496 from the floor and .886 from the free-throw line, retiring as the fifth all-time free-throw shooter behind Mark Price, Rick Barry, Calvin Murphy and Scott Skiles. At Indiana State here is what Bird did: 1976-77..aveged 32.8 ppg, 1977-78..averaged 30 ppg and 1978-79 ..28.6 ppggiving him a 3 years career average at indiana State of 30.3 ppg. I'm going to assume this is legit because he lists about 20 million sources at the end of it. 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. Twelve of the top 14 picks in that years draft were seniors, with the other two non-seniors being juniors Kenny Carr and Bernard King, so staying all four years of college was still very much the norm then. Year Event GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3PT% FTM FTA FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF Place; 1992: Olympic Games . Bird, now 30 years old and with worsening back condition and foot problems as well, would not win a fourth championship ring. Find out more. 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 . Kent Benson returned for his senior year, as did forward Wayne Radford for his junior season, but gone were May, Abernethy, Quinn Buckner, Bobby Wilkerson and Jim Crews. My goal is to . The internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. 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. Entdecke Spielplan College Basketball jhrliche Vorschau Menge 2 1977-78-1978-79 Vogel Magie in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Body Measurement Of Larry Bird. 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). not larry bird basketball shorts 9%, the greatest considering that 2019 plus great for 90th percentile amongst certified remedies in most associated with football. ", The New York Times' Dave Anderson: "[Bill] Hodges likes to say that his primary contribution to the Sycamores this season has been 'not messing up Larry Bird. "By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things. 11 in the AP poll that season and finished the year ranked No. Along with Magic, Bird was revitalizing the NBA, helping the league live up to its new slogan, NBA Action: Its FAN-tastic. After only two seasons, fans, coaches and players knew exactly what Bird was all about: big numbers and clutch performances. Birds status as an Indiana sports legend was cemented by the spring of 1979. The Top 11 Ranked. Navigation Toggle NBA. Do you have a blog? Best Known For: Basketball icon . 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. forty-five, the most effective larry bird [] RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Friday's 10-game slate. In a first-round series that year, Bird badly bruised his face in a second-quarter fall in Game 5 against Indiana. Bird helped rebuild a Celtics franchise that had been suffering from sub-standard play and poor attendance in the late 1970s. Join our linker program. They battled against Earvin "Magic" Johnson -- Bird's rival throughout his professional career -- and Michigan State in the championship game, falling 75-64. 10 Bird Was A Part Of The Most Watched College Game Ever As a senior, Bird became the schools all-time scoring champion and about 4,000 people attended his final home game. 2 Notre Dame, No. . UNLV 77, Duke 79, Kentucky 103, Duke 104, Notre Dame 91, UConn 89, Texas A&M 63, Stanford 62. That story is largely lost to time and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare. Everyone knew Bird was destined for greatness in the NBA, but that didnt stop Indiana State baseball coach Bob Warn from roasting him. As many observed, he would see plays not as they were developing, but before they developed. ", In Bird's own words, here's the value he placed on ball movement: "My feeling about passing is that it don't matter who's doing the scoring as long as it's us. 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. Born: Dec 7, 1956 (66 years old) . Larry Joe Bird This type of behavior was par for the course with Knight, but a new experience alltogether for Bird. 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. It wasnt until 1983-84, however, that the Celtics returned to the NBA Finals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Students skipped class to line up for tickets eight hours before tipoff. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Bird found the transition to college life difficult. 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. Bird also won his third consecutive 3-point shootout title, a feat later matched by Chicago Bulls Craig Hodges from 1990-92. 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. Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 assists, and 4.5 steals in 82 games during his rookie season in 1979-80. He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Nearly 30 years ago, then-college basketball star Jamal Mashburn saw Larry Bird in a hotel prior to a week of scrimmages between The Dream Team and some of the country's top college players. Started collecting garbage upon his return to French Lick. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. . Birth State: Indiana. But Bird, ever the competitor, wanted to prove a point. See our ethics statement. Fans always seemed to be willing to give a ride to Birds parents, who couldnt afford a car of their own. Hes very intense. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. And Warn, firm in his belief Bird would look foolish on a baseball field, was willing to give him the chance to embarrass himself. 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? "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. Even the mild mannered Kareem Abdul Jabbar once decked Benson square in the jaw during a pro game, after being delivered one too mant rib shots by him. "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. But he has said many times over the years that he would have never been able to play for Bob Knight. 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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Bird and Johnson were already playing their first year in the NBA by then. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. Martin Fennelly Former Sports columnist. Larry Bird's accomplishments and stats make him one of the greatest pure shooters of all time. 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. 1 pick in the 1977 NBA Draft, and Woodson. IU had three one-possession losses in the 1976-77 season and three defeats by two possessions. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Larry Bird, AKA "Larry Legend," was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. 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. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Im new at this (coaching) game but I feel I can get the job done, he said. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. It determined the balance of power in the NBA throughout the 1980s, arguably the most important era in NBA history, helping to reestablish the Celtics as the best team in the Eastern Conference during this time. His focus was on the court. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. You wont find much on Larry Birds short-lived baseball career, but those who were there wont soon forget. Hoosiers survive Big Ten tournament quarterfinal test. In regard to per game stats, Bird averages 6.8 assists and 9.6 rebounds. 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 . I just think when a man is open, he should get the ball whether it's 30 feet out on the wing or underneath. As per reports, Bird made around $24 million over the course of his career. Do you have a sports website? Birds legend was born in the tiny town of French Lick, snuggled in Indianas corn country, where his family led a spartan life. Larry Bird Rookie Year Stats. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Birth City: West Baden Springs. When Bird maximized his potential at Indiana State in the 1978-79 season, he took a Sycamores team that had a first-year head coach and was picked to finish third or fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in 1979 and carried it all the way to the national championship game with an undefeated record and the countrys No. Bird was named a special assistant in the Celtics front office, with limited duties that included some scouting and player evaluation. Birth Year: 1956. Magic Johnson was in the class of 1977. 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. 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. The following year was Birds last. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Warn noted that Bird played baseball with the same energy he brought to the court: He plays the game just as he does basketball, with every ounce he has. Mike Hayes, a Kentucky Wesleyan player, recounted the game, vividly remembering Birds bizarre, ungainly swing. The story was news to me. Larry Bird, playing for Indiana State, and Magic Johnson, playing for Michigan State, were two of the best basketball players during this time and were about to go head-to-head in a competition that sparked a rivalry between them that lasted throughout the 1980s. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Larry Bird stats. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. At the time, Bird was a junior at Indiana State University and decided he wanted to play his senior year . From his killer jump shot to his famous trash-talking, Bird could seemingly do it . However, he was eligible to be drafted without applying for "hardship" because his original college class at Indiana University had graduated. 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. He averaged better than 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Sycamores during his first campaign.