Jul 25

Jul 25 Larry Bird: The Hick from French Lick

The Hick from French Lick: The Career of an NBA Great

Sometimes it is not important where a team, player, or executive, ranks in sports when referring to the top 10.

What matters is being on “the list”. And Larry Bird, is most definitely on the list.

When compiling a list of the 10 Greatest Players In NBA History, their career statistics and achievements (including collegiate, and international competition) are a large part of their selection to this list, but also the players’ impact on the game, and endeavours or contributions that have made a positive influence on society, are equally as important to their rankings all time.

Larry Bird is among almost every hoop pundit’s list of the greatest players of all-time in NBA history, but this article will leave no stone unturned to justify Larry Bird’s place as one of The 10 Greatest Players In NBA History.

Larry Bird - AKA “The Hick From French Lick”

Larry Joe Bird enrolled at Indiana State University in 1975, after declining a scholarship offer to play for Indiana University in 1974.

The Indiana State Sycamores made the NCAA tournament for the first time in the school’s history in 1979, with a 33-0 record, where they lost to Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans.

The game managed to achieve the highest television rating in college basketball history. In 94 games for the Sycamores, Bird averaged 29.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and had 4.6 APG.

Bird shot 53% from the field, and averaged 82% from the free-throw line throughout his tenure at Indiana State.

Larry Bird’s Impact

Larry Bird was selected 6th overall in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, but would not report right away, unless he was paid what he felt he was worth.

After threatening to take his chances in the upcoming draft, where the Celtics rights to Bird would have elapsed, Bird was signed to the highest rookie contract in sports history, earning $3.25 million dollars over 5 years.

Shortly afterwards, NBA draft eligibility rules were changed to prevent teams from drafting players before they were ready to sign, a rule known as the Bird Collegiate Rule.

Larry Bird was a rookie ironically in the same season as the introduction of the 3-point shot in the NBA (1979).

Bird would become one of basketball’s most prolific and deadliest from beyond the arc.

Along with winning the NBA All-Star Game 3-point shooting contest 3 times, Bird shot 38% from long distance, and 32% throughout the playoffs.

The Greatest Shooters in NBA History, including the great Larry Bird.

“The Great White Hype” - Larry Bird’s Career Statistics

Larry Bird is a member of the Basketball Hall Of Fame. Larry Bird averaged 24.3 Points Per Game (PPG), 10 Rebounds Per Game (RPG), and 6.3 Assists Per Game (APG) in 897 games played in the NBA.

Larry Bird Career Points Per Season in the NBA

Larry Bird’s Career Key Achievements;

1979 NBA Rookie Of The Year award

3-time NBA champion
MVP in 2 of those 3 championships
NBA All-Star Team 10 times
Regular season MVP award 3 times
Bird was selected to the All-Defensive Team 3 times over his career.
Bird was also a member of the greatest basketball team to ever play in international competition, the Dream Team.

The Bird Has Landed

Bird retired after 3 full years in college, and 13 years in the NBA. Injuries got the best of the French Lick Indiana native, but he would continue to pursue interests within the game after retirement.

From 1992-1997 Bird was the Boston Celtics special assistant in the front office. In 1997 he was hired as the Head Coach of the Indiana Pacers, despite having no coaching experience on any level, let alone professionally.

Larry Bird at the opening of the statue in his own image at Indiana State University

The Pacers had their most successful season as a franchise, at the time, under the tutelage of Bird, finishing the 1997 season with a 58-24 record.

He was named the NBA Coach Of The Year that season, in 2000 led the Pacers to the NBA Finals (an eventual loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games), and went on to win the 2011 NBA Executive Of The Year award.

Another important record that Bird was a part of was becoming the only person to win the NBA MVP, Coach Of The Year, and Executive Of The Year awards.

There is no excuse that can be made for any basketball reporter on the planet Earth who would not name Larry Bird to their list of the NBA’s greatest.

Bird’s 3 championships, career numbers, particularly from beyond the 3-point line, and his success as both a Head Coach and Executive in the game, easily place Larry Bird among The 10 Greatest Players In NBA History.

Hear some people talking about how good Bird was in our list of basketball quotes!