By Jonah Sharf
On August 18, 1992, after returning from the Olympics as a part of the Dream Team, Larry Bird announced his retirement from basketball after several years of back problems. Larry Legend is one of the all-time great Celtics players, winning three championships with and two NBA Finals MVPs with Boston, three NBA MVP awards in a row in 1984, 1985, and 1986, and of course the Olympic gold medal with the Dream Team. Bird is consistently ranked among the top 10 NBA players of all-time, finishing his career with averages of 24.3 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 6.3 assists per game. Bird led the Celtics in many memorable matchups against the Showtime Lakers in the ‘80s, which is considered by many to be the greatest rivalry in basketball history. He also made an impact as a coach and as president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers, becoming the only person to win an MVP award, Coach of the Year award, and Executive of the Year award. It comes as no surprise that Bird was enshrined in the Hall of Fame the first year he was eligible, and will always be remembered as one of the greatest and most legendary players of all time.
To learn more about Larry Bird, listen to the LOS Podcast interview with rival/friend Magic Johnson!