Larry Bird is a former basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association. He played for the Boston Celtics, and he coached for the Indiana Pacers.
Bird is a three-time NBA Champion and has been named the NBA Finals MVP twice in his career. He is also a 12-time NBA All-Star and in 1982, he was named the NBA All-Star Game MVP. In addition, Bird was named the NBA Most Valuable Player three times.
In 1998, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Later in 2006, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. As a coach, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year in 1998.
| Position | Power Forward |
| Height / weight | 2.06 m / 100 kg |
| Born | 7 Dec 1956 |
| Nationality |
United States
|
| Playing Style | Right Handed |
| Nickname | Larry Legend |
| Team History | |
Boston
|
1979 - 1992 |
Player Profile and Personal Life
Larry Joe Bird was born on December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Indiana in the United States of America. He stands 206 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 100kg. He is a right-handed player and he played under Jersey Number 33.
His parents are Claude Joseph and Georgia. They divorced when Bird was in high school. His younger brother Eddie Bird played basketball for Indiana State University. During his time playing for the Celtics, he lived in Brookline, Massachusetts. In 1975, he married Janet Condra. They divorced after less than a year. He later remarried in 1989.
High School and College Career
Bird played for the Springs Valley High School in his hometown. He later attended Indiana State University from 1976 to 1979. During college, he was named the MVC Player of the Year twice. The Sycamores later retired Jersey No.33 in his honor. In 1979, Bird was also named the National College Player of the Year.
Professional Career
He was drafted into the NBA in 1978. He was the 6th overall pick in the first round by the Boston Celtics. Bird stayed with the team from 1979 to 1992. In 1980, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.
Bird was named an NBA All-Star 12 times in his career, the first time was in 1980. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team that year. He helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Championship three years during his tenure with the team. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986.
He was also the NBA three-point contest champion from 1986 to 1988. He retired from the NBA In 1992. After his retirement, the Celtics retired No.33 in his honor.
Bird retired with playing statistics of 21,791 points, 8,974 rebounds, and 5,695 assists.
In addition to his professional career, he also represented the United States internationally. This included winning the gold medal in the men’s basketball event at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
In 1997, he returned to the NBA as a Coach for the Indiana Pacers. In 1998, he was named the NBA Coach of the Year and he was also named the NBA All-Star Game Head Coach.
In 1998, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame. He also served as NBA Executive and in 2012, he was named the NBA Executive of the Year. In 2019, he was awarded an NBA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Career Highlights
As Player:
- 1981, 1984, 1986 - NBA champion
- 1984, 1986 - NBA Finals MVP
- 1984–1986 - NBA Most Valuable Player
- 1980–1988, 1990–1992 - NBA All-Star
- 1982 - NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 1980–1988 - All-NBA First Team
- 1990 - All-NBA Second Team
- 1982–1984 - NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- 1980 - NBA Rookie of the Year
- 1980 - NBA All-Rookie Team
- 1986–1988 - NBA Three-Point Contest champion
- 1987, 1988 - 50–40–90 club
- 1986 - AP Athlete of the Year
2019 - NBA Lifetime Achievement Award
- NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th)
No. 33 retired by the Boston Celtics
- 1979 - National college player of the year
- 1978, 1979 - Consensus first-team All-American
- 1977 - Third-team All-American – NABC, UPI
1978, 1979 - MVC Player of the Year
- No. 33 retired by Indiana State Sycamores
- 2020 - Indiana Sports Hall of Fame
As Coach:
- 1998 - NBA Coach of the Year
- 1998 - NBA All-Star Game head coach
As Executive:
2012 - NBA Executive of the Year
- Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, 1998
- College Basketball Hall of Fame, 2006
Team History:
As Coach:
- 1997–2000 - Indiana Pacers
Medal record, Men’s basketball, representing the United States
- Gold - 1977 World University Games Sofia
- Gold - 1992 FIBA Americas Championship Portland
- Gold - 1992 Olympic Games Barcelona
Career NBA Statistics
- Points - 21,791 (24.3 ppg)
- Rebounds - 8,974 (10.0 rpg)
- Assists - 5,695 (6.3 apg)
Career Coaching Record
- NBA - 147–67 (.687)
People Ask
How tall is Larry Bird?
He is 206 cm or 6 feet and 9 inches tall.
What team did Larry Bird play for?
He played for the Boston Celtics. Later, he coached the Indiana Pacers.
How many times was Larry Bird the NBA MVP?
He has 3. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player three times in his career. He was named MVP three years straight from 1984 to 1986.
