Most likely as a result of the wounds. He didn’t play for a long enough period of time to accumulate the stats that other players do. A portion of his accomplishments have gone unnoticed. Like the fact that he not only saved a club, but also contributed to the turnaround of the NBA as a whole.
Prior to Magic and Larry Legend, the product was unwatchable. As you read what I just wrote, you’ll see another factor. He was playing with some of the best players of all time. He is therefore frequently discussed alongside Magic but never receives the same recognition.
Ignored change he brought about in the NBA in another way? Trash talking. He ruled as king. Nobody else in the league that I’m aware of teased opponents as badly as he did. It brought in a whole new style of play that brought a lot of excitement to the league, whether you liked it or not. It also gave the game itself a significant mental component. Take a look at the video of Maxwell telling him that Cedric has no control over his shot because he will dribble the ball to a position and fire it. And that’s exactly what he does.
I don’t know about Wilt or some of the other guys who came before him, but Larry Legend had a brand-new, well-earned swagger on the court. He was unstoppable, and he told everyone so. If you’re unaware of this aspect of Bird, check out some of the material by using a search engine. It is a lot of fun to see. Take a look at some of his remarks regarding the three-point competition. Some may argue that it was always present, while others will argue that it broke the game. It gave it a lot of edge and grit, in my opinion.
You have to realize that this is coming from someone who is arguably the world’s biggest supporter of Barry Sanders. I find it incredibly annoying when players celebrate merely by making a tackle or intercepting a pass. When Larry did that and later when Jordan did it, there was a difference. They seemed to have truly earned it.
