Everything there is to know about the legend of Larry Bird of Indiana

Everything there is to know about the legend of Larry Bird of Indiana

Everything there is to know about the legend of Larry Bird of Indiana
The Indianapolis Star’s Scott Horner

From Springs Valley High School to his playing days at Indiana State and the Boston Celtics, Larry Bird is an Indiana basketball legend. As an executive and coach, he assisted the Indiana Pacers in reaching new heights.

More on “Larry Legend,” who was born in West Baden, Indiana, on December 7, 1956, may be found here.

Bird attended French Lick’s Springs Valley High School, where he amassed 1,125 career points and was selected to the Indiana All-Star team in 1974. He finished his senior year with an average of 30.6 points and 20.5 rebounds, according to the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

After giving Indiana his first commitment, Bird dropped out a few weeks into his first year.

Later, he decided to play for Indiana State, where he did so from 1976 until 1979. Over the course of three seasons, he recorded 2,850 points (30.3 points per game), 1,247 rebounds (13.3), 435 assists (4.6) via passing, and 240 steals (2.6).

The Sycamores advanced to the 1979 NCAA Tournament final, when they were defeated by Michigan State 75–64. Bird finished with 13 rebounds, 5 steals, and 19 points.

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Even though he was still eligible to return to Indiana State, the Boston Celtics selected him sixth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. Bird joined the league in the 1979–80 season after he and the Celtics delayed a year. Rookie of the Year went to him.

In 13 seasons, Bird was a 12-time All-Star, ten-time All-NBA, and three-time league MVP. In the regular season, he averaged 24.3 points per game, grabbed 8,974 rebounds (10.0), assisted 5,695 times (6.3), and stole 1,556 times (1.7).
Throughout his career, Bird led Boston to three NBA titles (1981, 1984, and 1986), and in 1984 and 1986, he was named Finals MVP. In their two other Finals series with Bird, the Celtics were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985 and 1987. Over 31 Finals games, he averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists.

In 1998, he was admitted as a player into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bird’s playing career came to an end while he was a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, which was regarded as the greatest basketball team ever assembled. They were the first “Dream Team,” winning a gold medal with ease.

Given that kind of background, it’s no surprise that Bird is referred to as “Larry Legend.” He was referred to as the “Hick from French Lick” before he became a legend.

Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans defeated Indiana State 75-64 in the 1979 national championship game, setting up the first of many encounters between Bird and Johnson. Johnson finished with 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 24 points. Bird finished with 13 rebounds, 5 steals, and 19 points.

This is where Larry Bird and Magic Johnson discovered they have a lot in common during a commercial shoot.