", The New York Times' Dave Anderson: "[Bill] Hodges likes to say that his primary contribution to the Sycamores this season has been 'not messing up Larry Bird. 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) . It may have also hurt him in his transition to a big state school, where he lasted a matter of weeks after the start of the school year. 19 Minnesota showed the teams potential. On The Players Tribune's "Knuckleheads" podcast, former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn said Rogers had talked trash to Bird after a day of practice between the 1992 College Select Team and the 1992 Dream Team.. After a practice, as a group of players were standing around, Mashburn said . Larry Bird. Bird signed autographs for fans in attendance and Kentucky Wesleyan players before walking off the field that day. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. and even better, he did it mostly because of a dare, Mike Hayes, a Kentucky Wesleyan player, recounted the game. Bird recalls in his Book "Drive"--which he wrote late in his playing career-- how he never missed an opportunity to take it to Benson during their NBA days. '", Indiana State coach Bill Hodges on the notion that man-to-man defenses might slow Bird down: "If we go against a UCLA or a Notre Dame later on and they play man-to-man, that's when you'll see how tough Larry really is. Former professional NBA player, coach, and NBA executive Larry Bird is well known globally. 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. For one day, Bird got to prove he wasnt just a basketball player icing up in the locker room; he was a star at anything he wanted to try. The College Jersey Store consists of a significant selection of Indiana State Larry Bird Jerseys, such as Mens, Womens and Kids, swingman, limited, Authentic and throwback jerseys for all, Away Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey at Out Online Retail Outlet 24-7. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He was also called Kodak by his first NBA coach, Bill Fitch, . Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable to those of the NBA's best and brightest through his well-rounded play, dizzying . 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. 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. 18 Alabama and No. Martin Fennelly Former Sports columnist. It wasnt until 1983-84, however, that the Celtics returned to the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was a co-star of one of the greatest college basketball national championship games ever Bird vs. Magic, when the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores took on the co-Big Ten champion Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 championship. In an effort to stop Bird, Bradley coach Dick Versace installed what was referred to as the "Bird's Nest Defense," where two defenders would guard Bird and the other three defenders would cover the four other Sycamores. 7 Michigan State, No. Birds concentration and composure were unmatched. College basketball conference tournament predictions: Picks for every mens league. 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. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. Editors note: This is part of a series of stories revisiting the biggest what-ifs in IU history. In the last 7 years, I've been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. Larry Bird is an Indiana basketball legend, starting at Springs Valley High School and running through his playing days at Indiana State . In one of the only noteworthy gaffes of his career, Bird missed a routine layup in overtime that would have tied Game 4 of a playoff series with Cleveland that spring. IU had three one-possession losses in the 1976-77 season and three defeats by two possessions. 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. Bird always held a chip on his shoulder over that, even decades later. Twelve of the top 14 picks in that years draft were seniors, with the other two non-seniors being juniors Kenny Carr and Bernard King, so staying all four years of college was still very much the norm then. May 12, 1997: Hired as Head Coach by the Indiana Pacers. He pulls people together. It was the only time the Hoosiers had a record that was less than five games over .500 under Knights watch. Knight went on"at 6-'6" and 180 lbs, I could not envision Bird being what he became, but I could see where he could become a "darned" good player for us". Knight signed Bird up to play at Indiana in the spring of his senior year.! Here you have the answers. 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. "At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. Maybe the UCLA dynasty, which featured 10 national titles in 12 years under John Wooden, the last coming in 1975, would have passed the torch to a burgeoning era of IU basketball under Bob Knight. Games. He was out to embarrass him from the beginning buzzer to the end buzzer of every meeting. See our ethics statement. He started out as an Indiana Hoosier but later left the school and team coached by the legendary Bobby Knight. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. College: Indiana State. Larry Bird Comparisons: ( players sorted by last name ) - A-Larry Bird vs Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. Or write about sports? College Basketball Scores. Navigation Toggle NBA. Bird returned home to become the head coach of the Indiana Pacers in 1997 and led them to the conference finals. That may have been to his detriment when he was a senior in high school. Bird finished runner-up to Moses Malone for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, as he would the following year. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. This blog is forever grateful for the meme template that sweet, sweet banner gave us. Play Index. Cathie. Knight said that when Bird came to campus in the Fall of 1974, and the team would organize pick up games, that Bird would commonly get left out and would not be picked Hoosiers survive Big Ten tournament quarterfinal test. The Official Store of the Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey for College. Do you have a blog? He was particularly hard on freshmen players, such as a young Larry Bird. Bird returned to his role with the Pacers in 2013 before stepping down in 2017 to assume an advisory role for the franchise. Benson, of course, was a God in Indiana. When Walsh moved on to a similar role with the Knicks before the 2008-09 season, Bird gained complete control of the teams basketball operations and helped the Pacers end a four-year playoff drought in 2010-11. Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson Stats. 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. 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. Larry Bird Rookie Year Stats. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The Hoosiers went 14-13 in 1977, later having their record adjusted to 16-11 after Minnesota was forced to forfeit two wins. 5 ranking than their final record that was just one game above .500, having not cracked the AP poll after December 20. Home-game attendance hovered around 3,100 when Bird arrived at Indiana State, but as he had done in Springs Valley, Bird single-handedly packed the house and elevated his team to respectability and more. They got married in 1989 and adopted two children: Connor and Mariah Bird. The three-time NBA champion played 94 games with the Sycamores. In 1975, John Woodens last season, UCLA won its 10th national championship to cap off an NCAA tournament run in which it needed overtime to beat Michigan in the opening round and Louisville in the Final Four. The experience shook Bird. As many observed, he would see plays not as they were developing, but before they developed. Magic Johnson was in the class of 1977. Bird missed 22 games in 1990-91 because of a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually forced his retirement. 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. 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. TV stations showed film clips of Bird instead of commercials. ), We did a great deal of checking before he made his decision and the college allowed him to enroll, Northwoods academic dean Jim McElhiney told The Indianapolis News in September 1974. 0%, great for twelfth throughout MLB between eligible remedies. Bird also cites an instance during an off season open gym, soon after he arrived on campus, during a period of "no contact" between the players and coaches. He has compiled 1,556 steals, in addition to 755 blocks and 5,695 assists. "By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things. He earned the Rookie of the Year honours and also led a mediocre team . Before the draft, Larry Bird had just finished his junior year at Indiana State. Students skipped class to line up for tickets eight hours before tipoff. Larry Bird SF #33. Check out the detailed 1977-78 Indiana State Sycamores Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com 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. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Real men play with balls this size, Warn said, glaring at Bird. Three-time NBA champion with Boston Celtics - 1981 . Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. Do you have a sports website? By that time Birds scoring average had reached the mid-20s, and he was averaging upwards of seven assists. He did some commercials and appeared in a few films, including Michael JordansSpace Jam. 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. 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. Larry Bird, AKA "Larry Legend," was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. Larry Bledsoe, the schools basketball coach, remarked how he was extremely pleased to get a player of Birds caliber, according to the Mitchell Tribune. But even though one might expect that he, a superstar, would live a high life of splashing cash every day, that wasn't at all the case with Larry. That was excellent. . So he cut the ties and went home. ", Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him he brings out the best in everybody. One newspaper in Indiana vaguely described the reason as personal dissatisfaction. He then enrolled at Northwood Institute, a two-year school with roughly 200 students in West Baden, Indiana, near his hometown of French Lick. 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. After the 2011-12 season, Bird stepped down as the Pacers president of basketball operations, citing health issues. Both Dinah and Larry studied at Indiana State University. He's an impressive figure with incredible rivalries, but there are still tons of things that younger NBA fans should know about Larry Legend. January 19, 2023 3:00 am ET. Bird was nicknamed Larry Legend and The Hick from French Lick, after his hometown in Indiana. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Best Known For: Basketball icon . Let me be clear, college basketball would look and feel the same if Bird never transferred from IU to ISU, but the 1979 national championship game Bird vs. Magic is still the highest-rated college basketball game of all-time, with a 24.1 rating for a game in which 38 percent of all TVs in the country that were turned on at the time were tuned into Indiana State vs. Michigan State on NBC. He won the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2012 to become the only person in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. Tiago Splitter solid in NBA playoff debut Beginning with favorable, Pagns TIME is normally 2 . In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, Bird engaged in a memorable fourth-quarter shootout with the Hawks Dominique Wilkins. Data Provided By > Archive 75: Larry Bird| 75 Stories: Larry Bird. Bird took just two shots that night and made both, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, while he helped teammates Carl Nicks and Steve Reed score 50 combined. The internet said that Bird's mother worked 2 jobs to care for Larry and his 5 siblings. ---------------------------------------------------- We talked Hoosiers with our buddy at Hoopla. 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. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more, How the Celtics landed Larry Bird in the NBA Draft, 1988 NBA Playoff Highlights: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins epic showdown, Celtics 75th Season: Bird-Dr. J fight adds to 76ers rivalry, Celtics 75th Season: Bird's debut, Ford sinks first NBA '3', Looking back on Larry Bird's steal against the Pistons, Bill Walton on what made Bird the best he ever played with, Bird's gutsy performance vs. Pacers in '91 series clincher, Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), Three-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1982-84), Three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88). We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. 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. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. Indiana State star Larry Bird makes his way through the crowd of players and fans getting congratulations after his team defeated Arkansas, 73-71, to win the NCAA Midwest Regional tourney crown in . As freshman and junior varsity statistics do not count toward official NCAA records, three playersPete Maravich, Oscar Robertson and Elvin Hayesonly had three seasons to compile their totals. He wasnt named to the Associated Press six-player All-State first team or nine-player second team, despite averaging 30 points and 20 rebounds, once putting up 55 points in a game for Springs Valley High School and 34 rebounds in another. Do you have a sports website? Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. He just hammered him for being lackadaisical off of the screen and made him leave the open gym session. In 1977-78 the Celtics had compiled a 32-50 record, their worst since 1949-50. Following a sophomore season that was shortened by a broken ankle, Bird emerged as a star during his junior year. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 16 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, Tied for first in semifinal history with 16 made field goals against DePaul, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1978: 30.0 points per game, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1979: 28.6 points per game, Third-leading scorer in the country in 1977: 32.8 points per game, Sixth all-time (since 1973) in rebounds in a season: 505 rebounds (1979), Tied for seventh with a two-game Final Four rebound total of 29 rebounds in 1979, Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul, Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding average: 13.3 rebounds per game, Ninth in NCAA tournament history (since 1973) with 67 rebounds in a single NCAA tournament, Tied for 13th all-time in double-doubles in a season: 28 double-doubles (1979), 15th all-time in career scoring average (min.