Among the best basketball players who have ever played in the NBA is Larry Bird. Even now, many people recognize the Boston Celtics legend as one of the all-time great players. The man insisted that his major goal was winning, even though he detested being referred to in this way.
One of the greatest competitors of all time, Bird is known for his trash language to opponents. Legends abound regarding this incident. Bird was never afraid to tell the players he was playing against that he was usually the best player on the court
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He didn’t like comparing his legacy to that of those who came before him or who were on the same team as him, though. When Larry was compared to the greats that came before him in 1985, George Karl ranked the three-time NBA champion higher than each of them.
For the most of their careers, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain faced off against lesser centers. The only genuine test they underwent was when they faced off against one another. Oscar? He was only in his later years when I saw him. He wasn’t as dominant as this man was at the time, but he was still a good player.”
Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel, Bird expressed his contempt for those arguments at the height of his powers.
Why compare anything at all? I do what I do, and it either works or it doesn’t. My main focus is on assisting the team in winning. As dull as it may sound, it is the reality.
Bird was frequently compared to players like Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and most notably, his legendary opponent Magic Johnson. Even though Bird acknowledged that he was one of the greatest of all time, it was obvious that he had no desire to surpass his peers and predecessors in order to be crowned the greatest of all time.
However, Larry Legend, as he was known, accomplished a great deal of winning, and his record speaks for itself. Three-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, and three-time League MVP, he retired. Throughout his career, he was chosen an All-Star 12 times and was able to make the All-NBA First Team nine times.
Bird’s novel perspective on the subject is certainly something to have in mind in a time when the argument over who the greatest player of all time is still very much alive. While there have been great players in every period, very few have achieved the kind of success that Larry Bird did.
