Larry Bird is the greatest basketball player ever to come out of French Lick,Indiana – which isn’t saying a lot, considering French Lick has a population of fewer than 2,000 people.
However, something that will say a lot about the man is his inclusion onto the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, thereby making him one of the 50 greatest athletes ever toplay the game.
Larry is a legend, and thus nicknamed accordingly (Larry the Legend). Bird was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, thanks to an extraordinarily decorated career. Bird was a three-time NBA Champion (1981, 1984, and 1986), the Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986, as well as the NBA regular season Most Valuable Player for three consecutive seasons (1984-86).
Bird also was a nine-time All-NBA First Team (1980-88) selection, an All-NBA Second Team (1990) selection, three-time All-Defensive Second Team (1982-84) pick, as well as the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1980.
However, Larry Bird stats do not end there. Bird was a member of the 1992 U.S. Dream Team and helped the United States conqueror the rest of the world en route to an easy Gold Medal.
During his 13 year career, Bird played in 897 (870 of which he started), and his career averages proudly display an average of 38.4 minutes played, nearly 50% shooting from the floor (including 37% from behind the arc), as well as 88% from the free-throw line.
Larry Bird was not just a scorer, although he was very good at that (24.3 PPG). Bird also averaged 10 rebounds per game for his career; as well as a career average of 6.3 assists per game and 1.73 steals per game.
Although Larry Bird stats are terrific, they may not truly be the fairest representation of the exceptional player that he was. Above and beyond any number, Larry Bird was a winner. In college, Bird took an undersized and outmatched Indiana State basketball team all the way to the National Championship game against the loaded Michigan State Spartans.
Even though Bird’s team did not win the game, his legacy was already fermented and his heated rival with Magic Johnson had just begun.
While in college, Bird averaged over 30 points per game (fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history) and received such prestigious awards as the USBWA College Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year, and John Wooden Player of the Year.
Bird continued his winning ways in the professional game, as he went to the playoffs 12 of his 13 seasons. Of those 12 playoff appearances, Bird played in four NBA Finals and won the title in three of the four. His career numbers on average are nearly better in every statistical category, when compared to the regular season.