Larry Bird's Wife Keeps a Low Profile - FanBuzz He was a superstar in college basketball, in essence. Started collecting garbage upon his return to French Lick. He has tallied 1,556 steals, as well as 755 blocks and 5,695 dimes. . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. 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. 0:49. Larry Bird. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. He definitely had a softball swing, Hayes recalled. The following year was Birds last. Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.. 10 Things Younger NBA Fans Should Know About Larry Bird - TheSportster Larry Bird began his college career at Indiana alongside Bob Knight 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. At the time, Bird was a junior at Indiana State University and decided he wanted to play his senior year . When I started here, I wanted to see the high school, college and professional basketball worlds come together, and Bird symbolizes that. 7 Michigan State, No. Knight said that when Bird came to campus in the Fall of 1974, and the team would organize pick up games, that Bird would commonly get left out and would not be picked Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. Larry Bledsoe, the schools basketball coach, remarked how he was extremely pleased to get a player of Birds caliber, according to the Mitchell Tribune. 31.8 - HOF Larry Bird - Indiana State - 30.3 . Gender: Male. Extremely high basketball IQ, pure heart and hustle. Bird, the Coach of the Year in 1997-98, resigned as Pacers coach after Indianas Finals appearance. Learn more and register, International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. He and owner Herb Simon had discussed his eventual departure for a few years. Indiana State star Larry Bird makes his way through the crowd of players and fans getting congratulations after his team defeated Arkansas, 73-71, to win the NCAA Midwest Regional tourney crown in . He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American in 1978-79, the College Player of the Year in 1979, a two-time MVC Player of the Year in 1978-79, and had his No. Despite being 6 feet 9 inches and 206 centimeters tall, he weighs just roughly 220 pounds and 100 kilograms. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former American professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). But Knight was not impressed. Spielplan College Basketball jhrliche Vorschau Menge 2 1977-78-1978-79 Incredible story of Larry Bird, high school baseball coach - Audacy OT: Larry Bird College Statistics - RealGM Bird won 3 MVP Awards, was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998. Find out more. Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. 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 . To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. 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. 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). 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. IU would have definitely won 1 or 2 more titles had Bird stuck around and become the player he eventually did. He was particularly hard on freshmen players, such as a young Larry Bird. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Born: Dec 7, 1956 (66 years old) . The 1979-80 Celtics improved by 32 games to 61-21 and returned to the top of their division. IU had three one-possession losses in the 1976-77 season and three defeats by two possessions. 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. 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. Larry Bird Turned a Painful High School Basketball Snub Into Lasting Larry Bird was originally in the recruiting class of 1974. Indianapolis Star. 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. Bird also won his third consecutive 3-point shootout title, a feat later matched by Chicago Bulls Craig Hodges from 1990-92. May 12, 1997: Hired as Head Coach by the Indiana Pacers. ", 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. The next season, 1974-75, is where two of the greatest What ifs in IU basketball collide: What if Bird had stayed and what if Scott May, the teams second-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, hadnt broken his arm against Purdue in late February? 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. Bird played with a total of eight Hall of Fame players, though a couple played only a few games alongside him. Talking trash to Larry Bird rarely ever ended well, as former NBA player Rodney Rogers found out the hard way. He was named the NL's Freshman of the Year after playing in his first All-Star game. / NBA. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 16 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, Tied for first in semifinal history with 16 made field goals against DePaul, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1978: 30.0 points per game, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1979: 28.6 points per game, Third-leading scorer in the country in 1977: 32.8 points per game, Sixth all-time (since 1973) in rebounds in a season: 505 rebounds (1979), Tied for seventh with a two-game Final Four rebound total of 29 rebounds in 1979, Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul, Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding average: 13.3 rebounds per game, Ninth in NCAA tournament history (since 1973) with 67 rebounds in a single NCAA tournament, Tied for 13th all-time in double-doubles in a season: 28 double-doubles (1979), 15th all-time in career scoring average (min. It looked almost like a straight uppercut. The massive strike zone should have given pitchers a field day, but they soon realized Bird wasnt there to goof around. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. 1 ranking. 0%, great for twelfth throughout MLB between eligible remedies. ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson Stats. That was excellent. There is no question about his eligibility.. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more - RSN Their 9-9 Big Ten record was bumped to 11-7, making a tough transition year appear a little less harsh in the history books. Body Measurement Of Larry Bird. While he wouldve competed for playing time with 6-7 forwards Steve Green (16.6 ppg), May (16.3 ppg) and Tom Abernethy to start the year, Bird grew taller than May at 6-9, 220 pounds, making him a viable replacement once May went down with his injury. I think they may even have been on the floor together. With Bird as the focal point of a well-rounded squad, the Celtics won three NBA titles and 10 Atlantic Division crowns. Bird always held a chip on his shoulder over that, even decades later. Bird nearly doubled the Sycamores' win total year-over-year from 13 to 25 after sitting out just one year in 1975-76, rather than two, after IU signed papers for Bird's release. This type of behavior was par for the course with Knight, but a new experience alltogether for Bird. Dinah likes to keep a low profile, making rare public appearances with her husband at basketball games. 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. All rights reserved. As a senior at Springs Valley High School, Bird averaged nearly 31 points and 21 rebounds per game. Larry Bird Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more I heard this story once and I believe it is true. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Those would be my first two." When asked if personal statistics matter, he responded: "Yes, it is about numbers. Bird, now 30 years old and with worsening back condition and foot problems as well, would not win a fourth championship ring. Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | NBA.com Larry Bird was drafted as the 6th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 1978 before he went back to college for a final year. His Mom and Dad divorced while Bird was in HS, His dad shot and killed himself a year later. Larry Bird vs Steven Adams. As the 1992-93 NBA season approached, Bird decided he could not continue. 2022-23 Season Schedule; On the day after his uniform was retired in basketball, Larry Bird took the field for both games of a doubleheader in baseball for the Indiana State Sycamores. 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. 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. Note: at Spring Valley HS in his senior year., Bird averaged 31 ppg, 21rebounds per game and 4 assists). In 1981-82, Bird made the first of his three consecutive appearances on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team even though he was relatively slow and not the greatest one-on-one defender, his anticipation and court sense made him peerless as a team defender. If Larry Bird hasnt transferred from IU because of whatever propelled him from Bloomington the school being too big, homesickness, his courseload, Jim Wismans wardrobe, whatever he potentially provides IU an insurance policy to Mays crippling arm injury in 1975, leading to another Final Four berth if not another title; another headliner to IUs best team ever in 1976; enough singular talent to avoid a post-championship drop-off and Bob Knights worst season at IU in 1977; and, likely, turns IU into another national title favorite in 1978. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. What if IU hired Jerry Tarkanian instead of Bob Knight, What if IU had solved Syracuses zone in 2013. "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. No other player in his era was as good or as consistent a shooter as Bird. Attended Indiana University for only 24 days. ; School Indiana State University; Born December 7, 1956 in West Baden, IN USA; Biographical Information []. For reference, the 2019 national championship game drew a 22 percent share. Navigation Toggle NBA. But Los Angeles won the series in six games. . 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. Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, Bird engaged in a memorable fourth-quarter shootout with the Hawks Dominique Wilkins. 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). One basketball coach, however, apparently missed the memo. 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. He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. Only a few photos exist from the game, but seeing it live would have been legendary. Drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in . In addition to his three championship rings, Bird piled up an awesome collection of personal achievements. Bird finished with 49 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. Get to know more about the C's legend below: Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Bird received a scholarship to play for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974, but he dropped out after only one month at Indiana University. When talking about per game stats, Bird sports an average of 6.8 assists as well as 9.6 boards. Play Index. The 16th-leading scorer of all-time in NCAA mens basketball history scored 2,850 points in just three seasons an incredible 30.3 career scoring average after enrolling at Indiana University in the fall of 1974. Magic Johnson was in the class of 1977. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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 also hit nearly 90 percent of his free-throw attempts. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. 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? Larry Bird National and High School Stats, Boston Celtics - RealGM He was brilliant against the Razorbacks with a a 31-point, 10-rebound game in the regional finals. His focus was on the court. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Tiago Splitter solid in NBA playoff debut Beginning with favorable, Pagns TIME is normally 2 . He initially enrolled at Indiana University in 1974 but dropped out before the season began. 'Coach, I'm dead,' moaned Bird. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Bird received a scholarship to play for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974, but he dropped out after only one month at Indiana . In the last 7 years, I've been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. Real men play with balls this size, Warn said, glaring at Bird. He was also called Kodak by his first NBA coach, Bill Fitch, . Boston won, 152-148, in double overtime. 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 Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. As it turned out it created one of the greatest rivalries in sports between Magic and Bird. Larry Bird was 1 of the NBA's most clutch players ever, amassing 3 MVPs while leading the Celtics to 5 Finals and 3 titles in the 1980s. And in the 2000 NBA Finals, the Pacers succumbed in a six-game series to the Lakers, led by Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant, for the Lakers first of three consecutive titles. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. And Warn, firm in his belief Bird would look foolish on a baseball field, was willing to give him the chance to embarrass himself. Looking at his stats alone, he is known as one of the greatest pure shooters in . It was merely an escalated version of Warns usual brand of teasing, but Bird had enough and was ready to prove a point. Hes very intense. Boston survived a memorable Eastern Conference finals against Philadelphia in which the Celtics bounced back from a 3-1 deficit and posted come-from-behind victories in each of the last three games, then took the title over Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets in a six-game NBA Finals. All rights reserved. That story is largely lost to time and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare. Larry Bird SF #33. Mark Bird's college team, where he became one of the school's best all-time players. We present them here for purely educational purposes. A crafty defensive player, Birds most famous steal came in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit. The Cavaliers won in seven games; Boston lost three of the four games couldnt play because of his back. It's because of Bird. Celtics Wire. Larry Bird is recognized as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Larry Bird - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more . Bird nearly doubled the Sycamores win total year-over-year from 13 to 25 after sitting out just one year in 1975-76, rather than two, after IU signed papers for Birds release. Career Stats Game Log Splits. How does Larry Bird compare with other great NBA players? Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. But Bird finally came to Boston for the 1979-80 campaign and sparked one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NBA history. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Sycamores went 81-13 during Bird's three-year career. Not just some guy. He missed the competition, and with each passing year the urge grew to get back into the NBA in a more active capacity. 18 Alabama and No. Check out 50 great assists by Larry Bird. With five seconds remaining and the Celtics trailing 107-106, Bird stole an Isiah Thomas inbounds pass and fed Dennis Johnson, whose layup gave Boston the win. The team didnt have equipment big enough to accommodate Birds 69 frame, so they stretched out the longest pair of pants they could find, procured the largest hat on campus, and trotted out onto the field one of the greatest basketball players of all time. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Like many great national championship teams, IU faced a rebuild or a reload or whatever you want to call it the next year. Career NBA statistics; Points: Rebounds: Assists: Stats at Basketball-Reference.com: . 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. Larry Bird. The former NBA player met his second wife, Dinah Mattingly, at Indiana State. What if former IU football coach Clyde Smith hadnt resigned after an open and undercover campaign to oust him? Birth Country: United States. What if Knute Rockne came to Bloomington in 1914 and changed the trajectory of IU football? The internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. He was the heart and soul of the 1980s Celtics, leading them to three NBA championships while earning a reputation as one of the greatest players in league history. Larry used BB tThe internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Data Provided By Odds & lines subject to change. Larry used BB to escape from his family problems! And then there is a lesser known Bird, the college baseball . Carr was his best teammate. Birds concentration and composure were unmatched. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Even though he had never coached a game in his life, the Pacers had no qualms about turning over the reins to Bird. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. So, what will Larry Bird's age, height, and weight be in 2021? In one of the only noteworthy gaffes of his career, Bird missed a routine layup in overtime that would have tied Game 4 of a playoff series with Cleveland that spring. The small forward had just led Indiana State to a 33-1 season, with the teams sole loss coming to Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Birds 19 points in the 1982 NBA All-Star Game, including 12 of the Easts last 15, earned him the games MVP trophy. We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. UNLV 77, Duke 79, Kentucky 103, Duke 104, Notre Dame 91, UConn 89, Texas A&M 63, Stanford 62. The Sycamores went undefeated and reached No. 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. On Aug. 18, 1992 he announced his retirement as a player. His back was also hurting, but Bird came back in the third period to help lift the Celtics to an emotional 124-121 victory. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. Larry Bird - Wikipedia 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.). and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare, Mike Hayes, a Kentucky Wesleyan player, recounted the game. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times. Bird had actually nailed the jumper from the corner. I ran across this short narrative while reading Bobby Knight's book- "Knight-My Story", and thought it might be interesting to share to the board. NAISMITH AWARDS: Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year, While Bird was most known for his scoring, he had a well-rounded game that included double-digit rebound totals and unselfish passing. He was there to prove a point. In a nationally televised game against Portland in March, Bird pulled off one final miracle performance he scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the Celtics last nine points and a game-tying 3-pointer with two seconds left. 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. 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. Hardly a change of clothes each day. ), We did a great deal of checking before he made his decision and the college allowed him to enroll, Northwoods academic dean Jim McElhiney told The Indianapolis News in September 1974. "All that shooting off the side of a barn turned into Bird becoming a high school star. Year Event GP MIN PTS FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3PT% FTM FTA FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF Place; 1992: Olympic Games . He was such a deadly shooter that he sometimes practiced 3-pointers with his eyes closed. Larry Bird College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com The Official Store of the Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey for College. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 2 Notre Dame, No. Bird enjoyed a phenomenal collegiate basketball career at Indiana State (30.3 points per game in a three-year career that included a trip to the national championship game). Students skipped class to line up for tickets eight hours before tipoff. Best Known For: Basketball icon . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. Hoosiers survive Big Ten tournament quarterfinal test. At different times, Bird has been quoted saying either Dennis Johnson or M.L. 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. A disk was removed from his back after the season, but it didnt help all that much. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. He won the Rookie of the Year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships. This blog is forever grateful for the meme template that sweet, sweet banner gave us. The three-time NBA champion played 94 games with the Sycamores. Larry Bird Dominated Rodney Rogers in Dream Team Game After - Insider The 1977 Hoosiers were led by senior center Benson (19.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg) and freshman guard Mike Woodson (18.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg), while just up the road, Bird was averaging 32.8 points on 54 percent shooting, along with 13.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.8 steals per night in his first season with Indiana State. 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. The small forward had just led Indiana State to a 33-1 season, with the team's sole loss coming to Magic Johnson . Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson Stats Comparison | Career All Time Stats