Even though wages varied little in the 1980s, the best NBA players will always fetch the highest compensation. Few men were more talented than Larry Bird in his peak. The Boston Celtics player earned slightly over $24 million in game checks as a result of that fact, but it didn’t take away from his early recollections.
Even though he went on to become an NBA player and multimillionaire, Bird never lost sight of his humble beginnings in French Lick, Indiana. His early years actually “motivated” him throughout the duration of his career.
The ascent to basketball greatness of Larry Bird
Basketball enthusiasts now consider Larry Bird to be a living basketball great. But there was a moment when he nearly gave up on the hardwood entirely.
Bird, having made a name for himself in high school, went to play collegiate ball at the University of Indiana. However, the Bloomington campus culture didn’t appeal to the forward, who chose to leave and head back to French Lick before participating in a single game.
After returning home, Bird started working as a garbage guy because he had nothing to do with collegiate basketball. But Bill Hodges, the basketball coach at Indiana State University, didn’t give up on the forward and persuaded him to play for the Sycamores.
After suiting up for college basketball, Bird rose to prominence. The forward gave it his all every night, even though his matchup with Magic Johnson in the 1979 NCAA national championship game helped make him a household name. He averaged 30.3 points per game over his three seasons at Indiana State, where he won the 1979 National Player of the Year award.
