$34999. The 63 years old former player had his 13 superb seasons with the Celtics, which poured him the chants of Legend Player.. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. While the legendary forward wasnt a one-trick pony he was a pure scorer and a deadly trash-talker he certainly knew how to tickle the twine from downtown. It's one thing to know Bird's numbers. Updates? Drake sophomore Tucker DeVries has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. But it seems like Bird himself is not fond of using social media as there are no personal accounts though we can find numbers of his fan pages over Twitter, Darius Days Bio: Family, Contracts And Net Worth, Gus Johnson Bio: Family, Documentary & Net Worth, Mike Conley Net Worth: Charity & Endorsements, Shaun Livingston Bio: Injuries, NBA Championships, Net Worth & Kids. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Two days later, Bird confirmed his return to the game and embarked on a legendary college career. The 1988 Fleer Larry Bird basketball card shows an in-game Larry running down the court with a Laker legend James Worthy close behind. Larry Bird's Wife: Social Media Dinah tries her best to avoid it on the day when most celebrities are rocking social media. By using this website you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. My concern 15 years ago was everybodys going to be 6-(foot)-9 like Magic Johnson at the point guard, and the little guys are going to get squeezed out. There were only two players with distinct talents, and they had a distinct advantage over the rest. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. March seems to be a team when he plays his best basketball as well. In the years that followed Larrys retirement, he became a very successful coach for the Indiana Pacers, even winning the NBA Coach of the Year award. DeVries averaged 19 points and more than five and a half rebounds for a Bulldog team that finished . Omissions? I can remember watching Kentucky play, and Rick Pitino was shooting 3-pointers all the time, and I go, Jesus Christ, no way you can win like that. Now if you dont do it, youre not going to win.. Bird even participated in the World University Game in 1977 in Sofia, where he won gold with the US team and participated in Summer Olympics in 1992. The colors on the bottom border match the jersey colors in the photo perfectly, which is a nice touch. Bird was drafted by the Celtics after his junior year at Indiana State (1978) but did not play professionally until the 197980 season, when he won the Rookie of the Year award after contributing to one of the largest single-season turnarounds in NBA history (a 32-win improvement). Bird transformed the Indiana State Sycamores into a successful college program, leading them to a 48-12 record in his first 2 seasons. Currently, Bird is enjoying his life away from basketball. We hope youve enjoyed the list. This website is free for you to use but we may receive commission from the companies we feature on this site. We sometimes use affiliate links in our content, when clicking on those we might receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Larry Bird Signed Celtics Green 1985-86 Style Mitchell & Ness N.B.A Basketball Shorts - Larry Bird Authentic. Its not hard to see why so many have added Larry Bird to their list of basketball card must-haves. After his three years were up, he came back to the Indiana Pacers as the President of Basketball Operations. They were fierce rivals in college and throughout their NBA careers so Topps was smart to pair them up on this card. Allen Iverson Bio: Career, NBA, 76ers, Wife, IG, Net Worth Wiki >>. 1 min read. Boston Celtics selected Larry in 1978, but he wished to finish his final season at Indiana University, but he didnt join the Celtics. Hoops burst onto the basketball card scene in 1989 with its unforgettable design featuring players in an arch-shaped photo. No reviews. The 1990 Skybox set features full color on both the front and back of the cards. And while Larry Bird can certainly be set in his ways, he had no problem with the NBA becoming more and more reliant on outside shooting. Over 50 schools reportedly recruited him, but he was always predisposed to staying close to home, according to The Crimson Quarry. A black and white gradient is set behind the framing of the picture. The space behind Larrys name looks like a painted basketball, which was kind of an interesting touch to the design, although it does make it harder to read the lettering. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC, Hoops burst onto the basketball card scene in 1989. Bird still does some scouting for the Pacers, Mahoney explained, and is a fan of todays wide-open style of play and its heavy reliance on the 3-point shot. That wasnt all, though. As I mentioned earlier, its easy to have a personal bias and default to the belief that your era was the best. He is an Olympic gold medalist, a three time NBA champ and a three time NBA Most Valuable Player. In his 15-year career, Larry Bird averaged 24.3 points per game, while Michael Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game over his 15-year career. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years. In February 2018, he shared his take on the way NBA physicality has evolved over the years. Larry Bird has a 23-11 winning record over Michael Jordan, including a 6-0 record in Playoffs. In his early childhood, Bird had to go through emotional and economic chaos after his fathers demise, Along with Birds entrance into the team, the, As a result of his tremendous performance at the, Bird even participated in the World University Game in, His love for basketball rose from his high school ending up in Boston, To add to this, he has also won three consecutive NBA MVP awards in the year, Still, he had always been loved. Basketball Africa League; Land of Basketball is a fan website, for official NBA information visit National Basketball Association's website. I really like the game now. Larry Bird Once Blew Kevin McHale's Mind in Practice With a Pass Rather Than a Shot Although things didn't follow a straight trajectory from after high school Bird almost left basketball behind during college things ended up working out. Prepare for a Larrylicious amount of fun. However, James averages more rebounds per game and more steals per game than Bird. He serves in this position today, and makes his business decisions just as cutthroat as his game playing. In the last 7 years, Ive been covering everything related to the career and job seeking world. He was frustrated with his current status and promised his wife Connie that he would find a new professional if he couldnt get Bird to the school. He averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game over the course of his career, and his 21,791 total points scored was the 11th highest in NBA history at the time of his retirement. Its not as expensive as other Bird cards but a keeper nonetheless. Note that the content on this site should not be considered betting advice. Hoops used an action shot of Bird driving hard to the basket. Bird leads all NBA players with an average of 6.8 assists per 36 minutes and 9.6 boards per game. Larry Bird had given up on basketball, but one person still believed he had a future in the game: Bill Hodges. NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers are now part owners of MLS franchise Nashville SC, Bucks emerge as frontrunners to sign veteran guard Goran Dragic, Will Bartons Potential Impact on Toronto, 3 things we learned from Kevin Durants debut with the Phoenix Suns, LeBron James out at least three weeks due to right foot tendon injury. For our third annual Birdmas celebration, Evil Ted and Basketbawful Productions take you on an exclusive tour of this amazing park, visiting top attractions like Bill Russell Title Town, DJ's Science Circle, and the Larry Coaster. Im not just a shooter, Im not just a person. The former Celtic also provided some quotes about the topic. Entdecke (3) 1991-92 Reifen McDonald's Basketball #2 Larry Bird Lot Boston Celtics in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Now its just the opposite, Bird said. His love for basketball rose from his high school ending up in Boston Celtic being the most increased aid rookie of a time. They also gave a nod to the Dream Team with the USA Basketball logo in the bottom right. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Ever the people person, the coach refused to acknowledge Bird on campus when his player said hello. His regular-season record against Jordan was 35-11, and he averaged 27.4 points, 8.9 assists, and 8.1 boards per game. Over the course of his 13 seasons with the Celtics, the self-described hick from French Lick cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history. If the forward was out to prove he could be somebody, he more than exceeded those goals. Similarly, the popular figure earns a decent amount through endorsement deals from companies like Heinz Corporation. When looking at their statistics, Bird averaged more points per game and more assists per game than James. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive end and Tatum had his best game back since all-star break after a lackluster start. This is the detail of NBA games in which Larry Bird and Michael Jordan played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs. March seems to be a team when he plays his best basketball as well. Currently, he is in his 60s, due to which his bodily figure is not as athletic as before. Through that lens, youd probably think that the forward appreciates todays NBA. And, lest you think that Birds comments were a one-off, there are some other quotes from the former star about the state of modern basketball. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800 GAMBLER. He has 1,556 steals, 755 blocks, and 5,695 assists. Unsurprisingly, given his exploits in the Three-Point Contest, one of those was the evolution of NBA offense. Larry Bird began 45 games and played 1,662 minutes during his NBA career. Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star and was named the leagues Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times. Larry Legend admitted that, back in his day, defenses didnt really bother covering players in three-point land. Rachel Hunter Bio: Early Life, Net Worth, Children & West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States of America, The Hick from French Lick and Larry Legend, High school from Springs Valley (French Lick, Indiana), Playing career (1979-1992): Boston Celtics, Coaching career(1997-2000): Indiana Pacers. He rose from a difficult family life in Indiana to being one of the greats alongside Michael Jordan and Birds long time friendly rival, Magic Johnson. He was asked if he was like Michael Jordan and replied, I think Im more of a team player. I believe I am a facilitator. He compressed a nerve root in his back which caused him to miss 22 games that year. As a result, he has played with back problems since then. history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, N.B.A. In addition to his 9.64 rebound average, Bird averaged 6.80 assists per game last season. The legendary basketballers wife is Dinah Mattingly. Larry legend was married to Janet Condra in 1975, but after a year, they started having issues, which almost led them to be separated. A black and white gradient is set behind the framing of the picture. They faced each other a total of 34 times in NBA games. Taken in his last season of professional basketball, this card is an affordable, good-looking piece to any Larry Bird basketball card collection. Betting is speculative. He is ranked 5th of all time for triple doubles. With his 34th 30-point game of the season he passed Larry Bird for the most 30-point games by a Celtic in a single season. Larry Bird basketball cards continue to be extremely popular among sports card collectors. Comments? The photo has a border that is both light and dark green. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 12x All Star 3x NBA Champ 10x All-NBA 1979-80 All-Rookie 1979-80 ROY 3x All-Defensive 1981-82 AS MVP 2x Finals MVP 3x MVP His 1990 Fleer card shows a nice shot of Bird in the middle of one of his legendary jumpshots. Always a man of his word, Bird promised to fulfill the remainder of his contract in the team front office. Contact us! The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low economic lifestyle of his early age, which he had discussed in his several interviews. A crowd of fans joined him for the induction, chanting his name as he joined the ranks of the everlasting basketball greats. Weve brought together some of the best Larry Bird basketball cards out there with this list. Bird was as infamous for his trash-talking as he was famous for his skills on the court. In a time of overused graphics, Hoops got it right with a clean design over a sharp action photo. The Hick from the French Lick has got yellow-toned tan skin. Land Of Basketball.com Teams, players profiles, awards, stats, records and championships. 2022-23 Season Schedule; . Clearly, the Michael Jordan rookie card is the key to this famous set but Birds card is essential, too. View 3 Comments The Fleer card features Bird mid game, coming down with a hard-earned rebound. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. To add to this, he has also won three consecutive NBA MVP awards in the year 1984, 1985, and 1986. / Links. But it seems like Bird himself is not fond of using social media as there are no personal accounts though we can find numbers of his fan pages over Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. It is second only to the Bas. Bob Knight also had a hand in his exit. Computer graphics were taking off in leaps and bounds, and no sports cards were safe. The final Larry Bird Topps card features a photo of Bird just moments before shooting the ball. For thirteen seasons, Bird put his heart and soul into the game and put fear into every other team. The Celtics had decided not to pay Bird more than any other players, but eventually, he ended up signing a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the Celtics and was the highest-paid rookie time of his career. Comments? There are a total of 591,591 baskets. Larry Legend was just that: a basketball legend. This card has an image of Bird taking a shot with a giant, green, three-dimensional star behind him. The bottom left corner highlights Larrys position, name and team in an almost comic-like blast. He was picked by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. Today the net worth of Larry Bird is estimated to be over $75 million. LarryLand, a theme park devoted to NBA basketball legend Larry Bird, was built in 1987 on the outskirts of French Lick, Indiana. When betting your capital is at risk. Its the sixth card available from his retirement year, and an excellent conclusion for any fans set. James has 10,114 assists, 2,147 steals, and 1,048 blocks in his career, according to data from the NBA. Everything I do is done a little differently for me. After a year away from the sport, he returned to his position as the Pacers president of basketball operations in June 2013. Furthermore, the basketball player had to go through back fusion surgery that led his playing career to an end at 36 years old. The final card on our list today has a fairly traditional design with a mid game action shot on the front. Later, in 1989 Bird got married to Dinah Mattingly, and the couple adopted two children. The couple owns multiple houses and lives a luxurious life of their own. In a 2019 Associated Press story (h/t the Daily Hampshire Gazette), Brian Mahoney chatted with the living legend about a handful of topics. He had to deal with emotional turbulence after his parents divorced, and his father committed suicide when he was in high school. He was unhappy at Indiana for a couple of reasons. Stadium Club took a similar route, showcasing borderless photos as their card fronts. As someone who shone in the rough-and-tumble 1980s, Larry Legend is glad that offensive players have a bit more room to strut their stuff. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He is a former basketball player, coach, and executive in the N.B.A. Bird retired in 1992 and moved to a front-office position with the Celtics. They were very protective of Bird, who was still recovering from the death of his father. NBA star Larry Bird's famous "behind-the-backboard" shot didn't actually count as a basket. Twitter itself seems inspired by basketballs legend as its logo is dedicated and named after Larry Bird. There is no clear answer when comparing the stats of Larry Bird and LeBron James. You can pick up a mint condition card for under $20, so really why wouldnt you? The card has a nice, clean design that matches the Boston uniform perfectly. He left the school after only 24 days on campus. It is clear that both players are great shooters. His 1986 Fleer card features an action shot of Bird mid-dribble. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. The former Boston Celtics player recently signed a multiyear contract with the Pacers. Larry Bird played college basketball at Indiana State University, an unheralded program that was completely overshadowed by its in-state counterpart, Indiana University. Bird just hitchhiked his way back home. As a senior, he averaged a cartoonish 30 points and 20 rebounds a game while leading the team to a 21-4 record. This is a difficult question to answer, and one that I find difficult to summarize. When all was said and done he'd win 3 NBA championships, 3 MVP awards and be named to 12 All-Star teams. Zach Wolpin is an NBA expert and has been betting on the league for over three years now. As a result, Larrys family went through an economic struggle. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide who has better stats. Copyright 2023. landofbasketball.com - All rights reserved. Larry Bird, along with "Magic" Johnson and Michael Jordan, is one of the most recognized names in the history of basketball. 1986 was a huge year for Larry Bird. Sadly, the account was suspended some time ago. Bird. He retired from the NBA in 1992 with a career scoring average of 24.3 points per game. The two of them were talking about how one of Birds friends was a great high school player, but he was now forgotten since he didnt go to college. And while youd be right, Bird didnt just give modern basketball the metaphorical thumbs up. In the summer of 1992, he would announce his retirement from the NBA, mainly because of his never-ending back problems. Bill looked Larry in the eyes, said Patrick Wood, writer and director of an upcoming film based on Birds recruitment to Indiana State, to the Indy Star. The people of French Lick (Frenchies? He is undeniably one of the greatest basketball players of all time, which has earned him , Bird had always been a perfectionist whom millions of, When Larry Bird had to retire due to his back surgery in, Since his high school days at Spring Valley High School, he proved himself a star player with averaged, As Bird had proved himself as a star player through his high school achievements, he received a scholarship from, The American player moved back to French Lick and enrolled at the, Larry legend graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physical education in, On another side, he, too, had a successful college basketball career.