In the 1980s, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were the two most popular players in the NBA. The two were intense rivals, much like their respective teams, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Between the two of them, they have accumulated eight NBA Championships and six MVP awards. Both have had Hall of Fame careers and were equals in terms of skill and popularity.
As such, the debate of Bird or Magic has raged for years on end. Even to this day. But, one Hall of Fame coach is 100% picking Larry Legend, and he made his choice even before Bird went pro.
Legendary NCAA coach Nolan Richardson preferred Larry Bird to Magic Johnson
Larry Bird or Magic Johnson. A never-ending debate for many. But, for one NCAA Hall of Fame coach, Nolan Richardson, Bird was his favorite even before he played an official NBA game.
During his Hall of Fame speech in 2014, Richardson recalled how he first heard of the Hick From French Lick. While driving in his car, he happened to listen to a match between New Mexico State and Indiana State. A match where the only name that kept on coming up was Bird.
Magic trumps Larry Legend when comparing their head-to-head record
Bird may have a favorable stance with a Hall of Fame coach, but the same cannot be said when comparing his head-to-head record with Magic. The Lakers legend has defeated Larry on more occasions as well. By the end of his career, Magic had 11 career wins over Bird to seven losses.
All that being said, at the end of the day, there can be no denying that their rivalry was special. NBA fans are surely grateful they got to witness it firsthand or at least hear the tales.
