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As a senior at Springs Valley High School, Bird averaged nearly 31 points and 21 rebounds per game. With Larry Bird, the 77 Hoosiers are probably a 20-win team and closer to their preseason No. Career NBA statistics; Points: Rebounds: Assists: Stats at Basketball-Reference.com: . 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. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, Bird engaged in a memorable fourth-quarter shootout with the Hawks Dominique Wilkins. 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. Imagine Thomas, Bird and Magic on the same team. Carreira Basquete universitrio. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. Bird had actually nailed the jumper from the corner. Do you have a sports website? What if Knute Rockne came to Bloomington in 1914 and changed the trajectory of IU football? No shit! 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. Experience: 13 years. 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. 5 ranking than their final record that was just one game above .500, having not cracked the AP poll after December 20. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). What if Larry Bird hadnt transferred from IU. Gambling problem? ---------------------------------------------------- You wont find much on Larry Birds short-lived baseball career, but those who were there wont soon forget. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick) Bats Left, Throws Left; Height 6' 9", Weight 220 lb. Career information head-to-head including championships won, season and playoff stats, honors and awards and more. 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. Complete NBA coaching record for Larry Bird, including regular season and postseason games. The Boston Celtics had selected him in the 1978 NBA Draft, hoping that Bird, who had become eligible for the NBA after his junior year, might forgo his senior season-but knowing he was worth the wait even if he didnt. The following season . RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Friday's 10-game slate. Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. 0:49. Bird was 20, 21 and 22 years old when he eventually played college ball for Indiana State. ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Bird was the embodiment of Celtics Pride. He was a classy, confident, hardworking player who thrived on pressure and inspired teammates to excel. 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. Birth Country: United States. 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. OT: Larry Bird College Statistics. 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. games played = 41.4 ppg This is going off of their college career . 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? If the answer was yes, then theres a chance there would be national championship banners from 1975 and 1976 hanging inside Assembly Hall right now. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. Birth State: Indiana. And Warn, firm in his belief Bird would look foolish on a baseball field, was willing to give him the chance to embarrass himself. Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) Two-time NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) . He was particularly hard on freshmen players, such as a young Larry Bird. A brutal sucker punch in the OVC tournament stopped the game in its tracks. Adding Bird to that IU team is almost an embarrassment of riches, giving the sports last undefeated champion a player who was named one of the top 15 players ever in the NCAA tournament during the 75 Years of March Madness Celebration in 2013. 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. Published Jan. 28 . Note: at Spring Valley HS in his senior year., Bird averaged 31 ppg, 21rebounds per game and 4 assists). Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. But none of those things kept him in Bloomington, as he was gone before homecoming his freshman year. In the final, they played Michigan State, led by "Magic" Johnson, and together their rivalry would eventually be responsible for the resurgence of the NBA in the 1980s. What if Phil Dickens and IU football hadnt gotten the whole dang department sanctioned? He was out to embarrass him from the beginning buzzer to the end buzzer of every meeting. That may have been to his detriment when he was a senior in high school. 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. Bird was often checked by Magic Johnson in Michigan State's 2-3 matchup zone in theepic clash of two all-time greats. Play Index. Loved to watch him play. The Top 11 Ranked. 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. How does Larry Bird compare with other great NBA players? 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. 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. In 1975, he enrolled at Indiana State. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Do you have a blog? The Sycamores went 81-13 during Bird's three-year career. 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. Celtics Jamal Mashburn recalled how Larry Bird responded to trash-talk at a 'Dream Team' practice in 1992 "Hey Larry, you ain't hit a jumper since '84." 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. RELATED: The complete results from the best #MarchMadnessMoments bracket. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Larry Bird SF #33. This blog is forever grateful for the meme template that sweet, sweet banner gave us. He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. 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. By. He was a 2x 1st team All American, future #1 overall lottery pick and 1976 NCAA player of the year, leading the 76 IU team to the only undefeated national title of the next 40 years. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. 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. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. 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. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. His focus was on the court. Check out the top highlights and plays from Larry Bird's storied NBA career. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. 18 Alabama and No. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Dinah likes to keep a low profile, making rare public appearances with her husband at basketball games. Looks like Bradley's coach on 2/10/79 tried to give Bird the same treatment . 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 has compiled 1,556 steals, in addition to 755 blocks and 5,695 assists. 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. Three Things: Indiana womens basketball defeats Michigan State 94-85. Larry Bird was born on as Larry Joe Bird to parents: Georgia and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War.He attended Springs Valley High School. There is the Larry Bird people know, the Boston Celtics legend, the hick from French Lick, the Indiana State University basketball king. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketballers of all time, it . 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. He has accounted for 1,556 steals, as well as 755 blocks and 5,695 assists. He started his college career in the fall of 1979. / NBA. 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. Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell teamed up to oust the Rockets in Game 6 of The Finals in 1981. 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. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. It began as gentle ribbing, poking fun at Birds propensity to spend a majority of his free time getting ice and massages in the ISU training room. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever.". 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). Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Larry Legend dragged a coach to the national championship game who later had a five-win season and a three-win season in something called the Trans America Athletic Conference while coaching Mercer. But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. 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. Check out the detailed 1977-78 Indiana State Sycamores Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Bird, the Coach of the Year in 1997-98, resigned as Pacers coach after Indianas Finals appearance. Students skipped class to line up for tickets eight hours before tipoff. 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. 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. Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP. 33 retired by the school. 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 Ball was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. No other player in his era was as good or as consistent a shooter as Bird. Ballinger had proof. Born in 1956, in the state of Indiana, this player is known as the biggest reason behind why the Boston Celtics were led to the NBA championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. All rights reserved. IU would have definitely won 1 or 2 more titles had Bird stuck around and become the player he eventually did. 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. Michael Jordan has compiled 41,011 minutes and has participated . He was a superstar in college basketball, in essence. But his arrogant attitude is hardly a big surprise to those who know about Benson. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. 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. 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. 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) . He led the league in free-throw percentage four times. All rights reserved. And then there is a lesser known Bird, the college baseball . He and owner Herb Simon had discussed his eventual departure for a few years. not larry bird basketball shorts 9%, the greatest considering that 2019 plus great for 90th percentile amongst certified remedies in most associated with football. He is a graduate of Indiana University. Then he left the local junior college, Northwood Institute. 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 played with a total of eight Hall of Fame players, though a couple played only a few games alongside him. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. The 1979-80 Celtics improved by 32 games to 61-21 and returned to the top of their division. Despite losing leading scorer Steve Green and John Laskowski after the 75 season, IU got the band back together in 1976 and finished what the Hoosiers came three wins away from achieving the previous year: an undefeated, national championship season as they became the NCAAs #1 All-Time March Madness team. 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. Larry used BB tThe internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. Cathie. The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in '81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates "to get on my back, boys" in the decisive . He did some commercials and appeared in a few films, including Michael JordansSpace Jam. 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. . When he talks, you come into his world. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Larry Bird was such a player. 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. 1,400 points): 30.3 points, 16th all-time on the NCAA career scoring list: 2,850 points, Tied for 23rd all-time in career double-doubles: 68 double-doubles, Tied for 24th all-time in points in a season: 973 points (1979), Tied for 24th all-time in consecutive double-doubles in a season: 16 double-doubles (1979). Known as 'Chief', Parish played 21 seasons in the NBA and was one of the mainstays in Boston during the '80s, leading the Celtics to three titles. He also owns Larry Birds Boston Connection, a hotel/restaurant in Terre Haute that also serves as a museum for many of his trophies and awards. So he cut the ties and went home. Wins over No. Larry Bird Comparisons: ( players sorted by last name ) - A-Larry Bird vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. . See our ethics statement. In the last 7 years, I've been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. "He's 6-9, was the nation's second leading scorer and that's not all," wrote The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton. Data Provided By It's because of Bird. 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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The only thing that wouldve been more painful for some IU fans than briefly landing Bird, only to see him become a folk hero up the road, would have been losing him to Kentucky. Scott Horner. Layed him out cold. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. Knight said.." I first saw him play for Spring Valley HS, about 60 miles south of Bloomington physically he wasn't the Larry Bird everybody remembers..as a HS senior he was about 6-'6" and around 180lbs. His Mom and Dad divorced while Bird was in HS, His dad shot and killed himself a year later. He was there to prove a point. He definitely had a softball swing, Hayes recalled. 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.. In his other eight seasons as a DI head coach, he won just 96 games and compiled a .384 winning percentage. Now the Sycamores are 33-0, they are ranked No. He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. The following comes from The Tampa Bay Times: His best NCAA tournament game came in the Final Four against DePaul, when he scored 35 points with 16 rebounds and nine assists (all were NCAA tournament highs for him) while shooting 16-of-19 from the field. Bird helped rebuild a Celtics franchise that had been suffering from sub-standard play and poor attendance in the late 1970s. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, former coach and former executive. The Celtics' legendary playmaker is the only person in NBA history to win MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in a career. Navigation Toggle NBA. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. TV stations showed film clips of Bird instead of commercials. 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. 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? Bird returned to his role with the Pacers in 2013 before stepping down in 2017 to assume an advisory role for the franchise. Become an Annual VIP member today and get access to VIP content, ad-free forums & more. Hardly a change of clothes each day. Larry Bird's accomplishments and stats make him one of the greatest pure shooters of all time. Bird finished runner-up to Moses Malone for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, as he would the following year. This was easy to see when you noticed Bird's basketball stats. 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.). There may not be a folding chair in the state that would be left un-flung. He was a 12-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team. 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). Indiana womens basketball Q&A: HooplaWyatt on the Big Ten Tournament. Do you have a blog? He scored 136 points in five NCAA tournament games, leading the Sycamores to the national championship game, where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. when they were picking teams! Bird missed 22 games in 1990-91 because of a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually forced his retirement. Bird earned an assortment of accolades during his time at Indiana State. Sucker punch in OVC tournament leads to 3 ejections. The three-time NBA champion played 94 games with the Sycamores. "Larry Bird finishes things," said Dick Ballinger, the varsity head baseball coach at West Vigo High School in West Terre Haute, Indiana during the spring of 1979. The story behind the 1978 NBA draft, often known as the Larry Bird draft, is one of the most important in league history. Recently crowned national champion N.C. State also joined the pursuit of Bird in mid-April 1974, right before he was slated to sign his National Letter of Intent with the Hoosiers. The Cavaliers won in seven games; Boston lost three of the four games couldnt play because of his back. Larry Bird has helped define the way a generation of basketball fans has come to view and appreciate the NBA, said Commissioner David J. Stern when Bird retired due to a painful back condition in 1992, after capturing a gold medal with the original Dream Team at the Olympics in Barcelona. how to find s class activated indium,