Have you heard of the 50-40-90 club? Despite many peoples belief, Bol was not solely a freakshow, as he sustained a 10 year NBA career, playing for 4 different teams. But, as one journalist would say, They looked different, perhaps, but take a chainsaw to their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends.[72] Watching Bird play was like watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent that the league had never seen before. [64][65][66] Bird finished with 34 points. [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. In his final three seasons with the Celtics, Bird averaged over 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists per game, shot better than 45% from the field, and led the Celtics to playoff appearances. Nicknamed The Claw, Leonard possess a hand spread that measures 11.25 inches, which is bigger than Wilt, Shaq or Bill Russell. Unlike the other popular wing players of his generation, such as Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins, Bird did not have the hops to jump over opponents. The dramatic play saved the series for the Celtics. At 68, Brand is undersized as an NBA power forward, but has made up for it with a giant wingspan that measures 75. He is a 66 player, and he's held his own thanks to a 260 pound base and a 73 wingspan. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. The season finished with a national championship game match-up of Indiana State against Michigan State and featured a highly anticipated match-up of Bird against Michigan State great Magic Johnson, thus beginning a career-long rivalry that the two shared for over a decade. A 6-foot 9-inch (2.06-metre) forward, he was known for his unflappable confidence and clutch shooting ability, which together created an intimidating presence on the court. BEST LARRY BIRD BUILD 2K22 NEXT GEN (EXACT HEIGHT, WEIGHT & WINGSPAN) REAL LIFE BUILD SERIES VOL.44. 7. He was a raw athlete out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, having only picked up the sport at the age of 16. In 1997 Bird accepted the head coach position with the Indiana Pacers, a move that returned him to his home state. Height: 6'9" (206 cm) Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg) Position: F High School: . In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. The couple . Rajon Rondo is currently one of the best point guards in the league. Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. 5. [104], Bird was known for his trash-talking on the court and is remembered as one of the most notable trash-talkers of his era. 2022 Dimensions.com |All rights reserved. Take a look at the great defenders in the NBA, and the one common thread you will find in all of them is an impressive wingspan. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Per 48 minutes that number would be 8.6 blocks a game and the next closest to him is Mark Eaton at only 5.3. Updated daily. So much so, that Charles Barkley even admitted that he wasn't 6'6, but . [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. Larry Bird was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1998 (Full List) All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Weight. The 73 wing span is 11.5% greater than his height. [21] Boston advanced through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Lakers, this time losing in six games. The hop shooting style allows him to get his shot off very quickly, and what makes Durant special is his point of release. What does stand out is Maxiells stature. Bird and his teammates easily won the Olympic gold medal for the United States, and just a few weeks later, Bird announced his retirement as a player. These heights are still well below the NBA average and well below Kareem's height of 7'2". This is a very scary thought for a lot of NBA players, both past and present. Larry Bird NBA 2K23 Nationality: United States Team: All-Time Boston Celtics Archetype: 2-Way 3-Level Point Forward Position: SF / PF Height: 6'9" (206cm) | Weight: 220lbs (99kg) Jersey: #33 Prior to NBA: Indiana State University Ranks #8 out of 459 All-Time NBA Players Ranks #31 out of all NBA Players on 2K Compare Larry Bird Badges 3 4 23 9 39 He mentioned in his own book about his height, saying "I was almost six-four as a junior, six-six or so as a senior and I grew to Six-Nine. Bird had an uncanny ability of reading and anticipating opponents passes that helped him record 1.7 steals per game throughout his career. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Durant is a prime example that elite length, when combined with elite skills, make a truly special player. 2002 NBA Pre Draft Measurement 2002 NBA Pre-Draft Camp Measurements Player Ht. Scottie Pippen is one of the most versatile players in NBA history. Do you have a sports website? [3], A versatile player at both forward positions, he could play both inside and outside, being one of the first players in the league to take advantage of the newly adopted three-point line. [21] In the playoffs, the Celtics avenged their loss from the year before to the Bucks, winning in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird is universally regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Blinders Jump shots attempted with an opponent closing out in the players peripheral vision will not be penalized that much. Bird won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics besides being a three-time NBA MVP, twelve-time NBA All-Star, and two-time Finals MVP. That would have been a 17% increase on his height. He's closer to 7'1 I think. However, by then his formerly relentless attack on the court had been slowed by a bad back. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Friday, March 3, 6:45PM. Larry Bird played the small forward and power forward positions at a height of 6'9" (2.06 m). Larry Bird. Larry Bird was drafted by Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA Draft. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. Celtics booed off floor after blowing 28-point lead, Randle's game-winner runs Knicks' win streak to eight, Durant passes Robertson for 13th on NBA scoring list, Grizzlies' Brooks: 'I don't like Draymond at all', Magic's Isaac undergoes season-ending surgery, Suns vs. Bulls odds, picks, predictions, bets. [49] In Game 6 of the Finals series, Bird recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Celtics won the Finals series 4 games to 2 against the Rockets. Durant is one of the 6 members of the 50-40-90 club. Because that was usually how the Hall of Famer took over games. [58], In 1987, the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. [82] In 1999, Bird ranked No. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The average NBA basketball game lasts between two and two and a half hours. In his career, Bol averaged 3.3 blocks a game, in just 18.7 minutes. The four-time NBA scoring champ is a player who uses his impressive wingspan to gain an advantage on the offensive side of the court. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107106, Bird stole an inbound pass. Falling out of bounds, Bird turned and passed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a game-winning 2-point layup with less than a second left. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. Over the course of his 13-year Hall of Fame career, the sharpshooting forward led the Celtics to three NBA titles and claimed three MVP awards. Rajon Rondo's length at the point guard position makes him a one of a kind player. [55] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up against the Rockets in the Finals. Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Larry Bird, Birth Year: 1956, Birth date: December 7, 1956, Birth State: Indiana, Birth City: West Baden Springs, Birth Country: United States. Larry looks fit and has an athletic body, but he had to go through back fusion surgery, leading him to end his playing career. He has seen his points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage increase in each of his first three seasons in the league. [56] Bird averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game for the championship round. Find out more. section: | slug: nba-legend-larry-bird-says-he-doesnt-think-hell-make-it-to-the-age-of-75 | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". The Best Michael Jordan Build in NBA 2K22, How to Set Realistic Game Sliders in NBA 2K22, Teams With the Most Cap Space in NBA 2K22 MyGM. Tayshaun Prince broke out in the Detroit Pistons championship run of 2004. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. A 6-foot-9 forward who could dribble, pass and shoot the way Bird could made him one of the greatest NBA players we've ever seen and will ever see. More player info Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. The reason the Bobcats took a risk on this extremely raw player was due to his freakish wingspan. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. For three consecutive years, from 1984 to 1986, Bird was named the NBA's MVP, and in 1990, he hit a milestone by reaching 20,000 career points. 1 Answer. [74], Bird and Magics presence on the court was only a small part of their contribution to basketball, as their rivalry changed the landscape of the NBA, transforming it from a struggling, barely profitable league into a highly visible, financial and marketing dream for teams and players alike. However, Bird's height seems to come at a cost -- a cost he's well aware of and doesn't try to hide from. McHale stood 610 and was reported to have a colossal wingspan that stretched to 80. He was voted onto the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list in 1996, and consequently the 75th Anniversary Team list in 2021. [49] The risk paid off; Walton's acquisition helped Boston win a league best 67 games. He says they build their hearts up so much that when they retire, the hearts just sit there. In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court (in reality the court was one Bird had made on the property in French Lick that he had purchased for his mother), when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match. This is a player who has shot 50% from the field, 40% from 3 point land, and 90% from the line. You said there will be another Larry Bird. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. [40] Boston's misfortunes continued into the next season, with Bird again finishing second in MVP voting to Malone and the team losing in the Conference Semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks. In 1999, he was listed at No. Corner Specialist Three-point shots taken near the baseline off the dribble or a pass are given a percentage boost. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The first regular-season game between the Celtics and the Lakers in the 198788 season proved to be a classic with Magic Johnson banking in an off-balance shot from near the three-point line at the buzzer for a 115114 Lakers win at Boston Garden. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." This ratio is one of the higher percentages for players who have played in the NBA. Many people following the NBA would love to see Bird play in todays era of basketball. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. Following his retirement in 1992, Bird became a successful head coach and front-office executive with the Indiana Pacers. NBA 2K23 Larry Bird Packs Card Name Overall Position Offense Defense Height Wingspan Weight Badges Total Stats Larry Bird Premium End Game 99 SF/PF 99 99 6'9 7'0 220 lbs 0, 0, 0, 80 3366 Larry Bird Premium Invincible 99 PG/SF 99 99 6'9 7'0 220 lbs 0, 0, 13, 65 3365 Larry Bird Premium Continue reading "NBA 2K23 Larry Bird Packs Card Challenge" This will allow your player to move faster when there are rebound opportunities. [27], Before the 198081 season, the Celtics selected forward Kevin McHale in the draft and acquired center Robert Parish from the Golden State Warriors,[31][32] forming a Hall of Fame trio for years to come; the front-court of Bird, McHale, and Parish is regarded as one of the greatest front-courts in NBA history. 4. Dirk can't be 6'10. [50] One of Bird's career highlights occurred at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend when he walked into the locker room at the inaugural Three-Point Shootout and asked who was going to finish second before winning the shootout. Larry Bird cemented his legacy in the sport by leading the Boston Celtics to three championships in the 1980s. [47], During the 1985 offseason, Bird injured his back shoveling crushed rock to create a driveway at his mother's house. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". A triple-double in basketball is a term used to describe the impactful performance of a player that achieved a double-digit number in three of the five statistical basketball categories of points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocked shots. If Bol had any type of offensive game to merit him more minutes, he would have set the blocks record so high that it would have never been touched. 1. You will often hear basketball pundits state that a player has great length. [9] He has four brothers and a sister. So, when selecting a physical profile for your player, I suggest choosing the combination of strength and agility. After all, Bird dished out 6.3 assists per game for his entire career. Being that tall will give you an advantage in-game. For that, we have developed the best Magic Johnson build in NBA 2K22. Talk about all topics relevant to Pinoys around the world. Bird excelled in almost all facets of basketball. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. In eight games, Bird averaged 8.4 points. Even after his retirement as a professional basketball player, Larry Bird's name still comes up in the NBA because of his coaching skills and the executive role he holds in the NBA. On the opening night of the 2014 season, he went for 26 points, 17 boards, 3 steals, and 9 blocks. Learn more and register. ", "Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and the 10 Best Closers in NBA History", "Ranking 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History", "StaTuesday: Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon on pace for rare 50-40-90 season", "How Larry Bird won the first 3 All-Star shootouts", "Professor LeBron delivered a history lesson on Larry Bird's legendary game", "Larry Bird in photos: The 'Hick from French Lick' becomes Celtics legend", "Talking the talk: An '86 Celtics trash-talking tale", "Kevin McHale shares a classic Larry Bird trash talk story", "On This Day 22 Years Ago, the NBA's Best Trash Talker Retired", "Dennis Rodman recounts how Larry Bird schooled him in '87 playoffs", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bird Shoots for Coaching Greatness With the Pacers", "After the NBA Finals, Larry Bird Will Quit as Indiana's Coach. One of those things was being a relentless defender. Larry Bird's bio Height: 6-foot-9 Weight: 220 pounds Birthdate: Dec. 7, 1956 College: Indiana State NBA experience: 13 years Jersey number: 33 Larry Bird's career NBA stats 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) The following top 15 will look at the most impressive wingspans in NBA history. As morbid as the subject is, Bird doesn't really duck away from it and what it means for him and his family. And to show you how skill beats jumping ability and athleticism, during his 13-year NBA career from 1979 to 1992, he won 3 championship rings with the Celtics. Take for instance Yao Ming, who stood an impressive 76, but his wingspan was actually smaller than his height at 75 inches. Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. The two adopted a son and daughter, Conner and Mariah. Best Known For: Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. As an alternative to relying on badges for in-game boosts, you can target improving many of your attributes as soon as possible. Join our linker program. Indiana State University, High School: 3940. You will often hear basketball pundits state that a player has great length. Bird was also a member of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team known as the "Dream Team". When they mention length, they are not talking about a player's height, but more so his wingspan. [80][81] He was inducted into the Hall of Fame again in 2010, as a member of the "Dream Team". The other shooting badges you should look to upgrade are Catch & Shoot, Corner Specialist, Difficult Shots, Fade Ace, Slippery Off-Ball, and Volume Shooter. Because Bird was wily in creating space for himself off the dribble, the Shot Creator takeover also sounds like a good option. The reality is that Pippen did a lot of things that made Jordan a better player. Larry Bird made at least $25,870,000 playing professional basketball. Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films. Drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after his second year at Indiana State, Bird elected to stay in college and returned for the 19781979 season. Great wingspan measurements comes from players of all heights. Howard is also the only player in league history to have won Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive years. Bird entered the NBA for the 19791980 season, where he made an immediate impact, starting at power forward and leading the Celtics to a 32-win improvement over the previous season before being eliminated from the playoffs in the Conference Finals. Prince will not go down in any record books, but ask some of the games best who the toughest defender they faced is, and Tayshaun Princes name will be be right up there. But there are other players that are taller that their listed height like Garnett, McGrady (who Toronto played at PF in his early years and once averaged nearly 2 blocks a game) and probably Dirk (as Cuban once claimed).
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