Larry Bird was the ultimate team player. On a team full of stars, he didn’t have to be the one who shined the brightest, although he most frequently did. He made everyone around him better, and the Boston Celtics legend didn’t care who stole the statistics limelight as long as the team won.
Bird’s selflessness extended beyond the hoops court. That was made clear in August 1992 when he entered CEO Dave Gavitt’s office and graciously turned down Gavitt’s request.
Larry Bird quickly established himself as a prominent member of the Boston Celtics.
Larry Bird required some patience from Red Auerbach. The Indiana State standout was selected by him in the junior draft, but Bird decided to finish his senior year of college, thus the Celtics had to wait a year to sign him. Naturally, Bird led the Sycamores to the 1979 NCAA championship game, when he faced Michigan State’s Magic Johnson and the Spartans.
The Celtics signed Bird to the most lucrative rookie contract in NBA history following tense talks that went right down to the wire. He did not let us down.
With 61 victories, Bird’s Celtics squad led the NBA in wins during the 1978–89 season after winning 29 games initially. With an average of 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds, he won Rookie of the Year.
With the help of a one-sided trade with the Golden State Warriors that returned Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, Bird helped the Celtics win their first of three titles this decade in his second season. He became just the third player in NBA history (after Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain) to win the first of his three MVP awards in 1984.
From 1984 to 1987, Bird guided the Celtics to four straight NBA Finals berths. Boston emerged victorious in both 1984 and 1986.
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