When Larry Bird came to play for the Boston Celtics, he had no idea what he was getting into. Bird arrived in the city following some difficult talks that saw him emerge as the highest-paid NBA rookie ever.
He socialized with a few of his new teammates and made an effort to settle into his new surroundings. But as he went onto the court at his first camp, he questioned if he was actually at the proper place.
He socialized with a few of his new teammates and made an effort to settle into his new surroundings. But as he went onto the court at his first camp, he questioned if he was actually at the proper place.
Larry Bird was able to quickly turn around the Boston Celtics, who were having financial difficulties.
In fact, Larry Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall choice in the 1978 NBA Draft, while still a junior. Bird’s rights were kept by the Celtics until the 1979 draft because he chose to play his senior year at Indiana State.
Bird took a team with 29 wins in his debut season and made it win 61 games, which was a league-high total. After averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, Bird was named Rookie of the Year.
Bird and the Celtics won their first of three titles in a decade the following season, thanks to a deal with the Golden State Warriors that changed the team’s fortunes. At 62-20, the Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers shared the league’s best record.
From 1984 to 1986, Bird was the MVP three times in a row. During that time, Boston won its other two championships. In the 1984 NBA Finals, they won seven games against the Lakers. They defeated the Houston Rockets in six games in 1986.
Throughout his career, he was named All-NBA ten times and received twelve All-Star awards. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined him in 1998.
