Larry Bird might be one of the most mystical figures in basketball history. Neither athletic, fast, or strong, Bird dominated the game with his skill and unique pace. Being a phenomenal shooter did add to his offensive arsenal. His brilliant skillset was complemented by his dynamic and cocky personality. The Boston legend would often talk trash to his opponents while shooting their team out of the arena.
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However, this attitude and confidence that Bird exhibited did have a dark side. Similar to Michael Jordan, the Indiana State star ran a tight ship, and didn’t hesitate to keep his teammates in check as well.
Recalling an incident which took place at Indiana State University, Bird noted in the co-authored book, When the Game Was Ours, “Bird was an imposing figure, even to his friends. When it came to basketball matters, they warily conformed to what their star demanded. It was clear who the leader of the team was, “and if one of them got out of line, they’d be stopped.””
“During one practice early in the season, a couple of ISU players were horsing around instead of conducting the drills outlined by Hodges. Before the coach had to admonish them, his star player( Larry Bird) took care of it, ‘If you don’t want to be here, then get the hell out,'” the book added.
Bird’s talent was almost too big to contain for the Sycamores. It is noteworthy that he left the much bigger basketball program in Indiana University to join Indiana State because he felt more at home there, very much like what his long-time rival and friend Magic Johnson did with Michigan State. Bird disciplining his teammates would eventually work out as the Sycamores would face the Magic Johnson-led Michigan State in one of the most watched NCAA Finals ever.
Larry Bird as a teammate
Great competitors often don’t know when to turn off their competitive instincts, often causing problems in their professional and personal lives. Bird seemed to also have been one of those people, as according to recent accounts from multiple of Bird’s teammates, Larry would go at his teammates too, not realizing that, it often deflated their spirits.
One of Bird’s teammates and ex-Celtic, Dee Brown remembers his practises with Larry very vividly, as he recalled them saying, “Yeah. Like, terrorize, like, to the point, and, to the point where like, “Larry, you gotta sit out right now cause this dude ain’t gonna be the same tomorrow. He ain’t gonna be the same. We need him for tomorrow, man.” He was always on 1,000. I mean, That’s what great competitors do.”
While this account from Brown might paint Bird as a tyrannical leader, the reality of the matter is different. The three-time NBA Champion wanted his teammates to be better, often pushing them to do better. Another one of Bird’s former teammates Danny Ainge, recalls the above to be true. Ainge, during a sit down with the Players Tribune, recalled how Bird would encourage improvement, while also calling out teammates for their mess, often not passing the ball to players who missed multiple shots.
Even though basketball may be a team sport, the influence of a single player on a team cannot be understated. As the Celtics wouldn’t win without Bird, the Lakers without Magic and the Bulls without Michael.
