Larry Bird

Larry Bird
	Bird in 2004
Personal information
Born	December 7, 1956 (age 68); West Baden Springs, Indiana
Nationality	American
High school	Springs Valley; (French Lick, Indiana)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Indiana State (1976–1979)
NBA Draft	1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
	Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career	1979–1992
Coaching career	1997–2000
Career history
As player:
1979–1992	Boston Celtics
As coach:
1997–2000	Indiana Pacers
Career highlights and awards
	As player: 3× NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986); 2× NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986); 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1984–1986); 12× NBA All-Star (1980–1988, 1990–1992); NBA All-Star Game MVP (1982); 9× All-NBA First Team (1980–1988); All-NBA Second Team (1990); 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1982–1984); NBA Rookie of the Year (1980); NBA All-Rookie Team (1980); 3× NBA 3-Point Shootout champion (1986–1988); 2× 50–40–90 club (1987, 1988); AP Athlete of the Year (1986); No. 33 retired by Boston Celtics; NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; National college player of the year (1979); 2× Consensus first-team All-American (1978, 1979); Third-team All-American – NABC, UPI (1977); 2× MVC Player of the Year (1978, 1979); No. 33 retired by Indiana State Sycamores; As coach: NBA Coach of the Year (1998); NBA All-Star Game head coach (1998); As executive: NBA Executive of the Year (2012);
Career NBA statistics
Points	21,791 (24.3 ppg)
Rebounds	8,974 (10.0 rpg)
Assists	5,695 (6.3 apg)
	Basketball Hall of Fame as player
Medals
Men's Basketball
Competitor for the United States
World University Games
Olympic Games

Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American retired NBA basketball player. He won three NBA championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986 with the Boston Celtics. He has also won the NBA MVP award three times, in 1984, 1985, and 1986 as a Celtic. He played college basketball at Indiana State University where he developed a rivalry and friendship with Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson when he faced him in the 1979 NCAA national championship game and three NBA championship series (1984, 1985 and 1987). He has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time. Bird was nicknamed Larry Legend and The Hick from French Lick, after his hometown in Indiana. He was also called Kodak by his first NBA coach, Bill Fitch, because Bird could form pictures in his head of the plays on the basketball court. Finally, he was nicknamed The Great White Hope.

In 1992, Bird was a member of the United States men's national basketball team. The team was one of the most famous teams in US Olympic history, known as "The Dream Team." The team captured the gold medal after going undefeated.

In 1997, Bird became the head coach of the Indiana Pacers. He was also President of the Pacers (2000-2012, 2013-2017).

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Larry Bird Media

Bird warming up for Indiana State
Bird recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in his NBA debut against the Houston Rockets on October 12, 1979.
Bird playing for the Celtics in a game against the Washington Bullets
Bird playing for the Celtics in the 1985 NBA playoffs
Bird's rivalry with Magic Johnson (pictured) is often credited with popularizing the NBA.
A Larry Bird plaque at Quincy Market, Boston

References

Other websites

Media related to Larry Bird at Wikimedia Commons

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