Larry Bird: From small-town kid to NBA legend

Larry Bird, calved connected December 7, 1956 successful West Baden Springs, Indiana, is 1 of the astir celebrated and trophy-winning hoops players successful NBA history. He spent astir his full vocation with the Boston Celtics, and aboriginal led and managed the Indiana Pacers, and is the lone idiosyncratic successful the NBA to person been Rookie of the Year, MVP of the regular season, MVP of the Finals, MVP of the All-Star Game, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year.

He grew up successful humble circumstances successful French Lick. The parent worked 2 jobs to enactment Larry and his 5 siblings. His parents divorced erstwhile helium was successful precocious school, and his father, a warfare veteran, committed termination successful 1975. Bird saw hoops arsenic an flight from his problems, and astatine Springs Valley High School helium was already a section prima averaging implicit 30 points and 20 rebounds per game.

After a little stint astatine Indiana University nether Bob Knight, helium returned to French Lick and enrolled astatine Indiana State University successful Terre Haute, wherever helium played 3 seasons, starring the squad to its archetypal NCAA Tournament quality and a 1979 Finals quality against Michigan State and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, mounting a assemblage hoops viewership record.

He was drafted sixth wide by the Boston Celtics successful 1978, and entered the NBA successful 1979–80, instantly changing the look of the team. The Celtics improved their grounds by 32 wins, and Bird averaged implicit 20 points and 10 rebounds per crippled and was named Rookie of the Year. During the 1980s, Bird won 3 championships (1981, 1984, 1986), was named regular-season MVP 3 times, was named Finals MVP twice, was named All-Star 12 times, and was named All-NBA 9 times. His rivalry with Magic Johnson marked an full decennary of NBA basketball.

The aboriginal portion of his vocation and aft his playing days

Heel problems and chronic backmost symptom reduced Bird's playing time, but until the extremity helium averaged implicit 20 points, astir 10 rebounds and implicit 6 assists per game. He ended his vocation successful 1992, but successful the aforesaid twelvemonth helium won a golden medal with the Dream Team astatine the Olympic Games successful Barcelona. After retirement, helium became the manager and aboriginal the enforcement manager of the Pacers, winning manager and enforcement of the twelvemonth awards.

Bird's bequest is borne retired by numbers, accolades and depository exhibits successful Terre Haute. The fig 33 jersey was retired by the Celtics and Indiana State, and Bird besides made the league's 50th day database of the 50 champion players.