“Larry Bird epitomizes what a forward is supposed to do”: When Wilt Chamberlain praised the Celtics legend for being the “correct type of basketball player”

Wilt Chamberlain is one of many all-time legends who complimented Larry Bird for being the incredible basketball player he was.

Larry Bird is one of the greatest players to have blessed the sport. Spending his entire career with the Boston Celtics, Larry Legend had every attribute to make himself the perfect basketball player – reliable handles, accurate shooting, incredible vision, high IQ, the confidence, the passion, and the craze to win at the highest level.

Very few players have been able to replicate the achievements Bird has managed to accomplish throughout his career. Over the span of 13 years, Bird built up one of the most decorated resumes in NBA history – 12 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA selections, 3 All-Defensive selections, the 1980 ROTY, 3 MVPs, 3 titles, 2 Finals MVPs, got inducted as an HOFer in 1988, and was even a part of the league’s 75^th Anniversary Team.

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Larry’s style of play attracted fans, opponents, and even the former legends of the association. One of the many greats to have been impressed of Bird was Wilt Chamberlain.

“Most people today don’t play the game correctly, but Larry Bird did”: Wilt Chamberlain

Back in the 1990s, Wilt the Stilt made an appearance for an interview with radio host Howard Stern. Chamberlain explained why he believed Larry was an incredible talent. Wilt said:

“Well, I think that may be in the minds of many, but this man also is very, very talented. I think he epitomizes what a forward is supposed to do, especially in the game he played because he was technically correct. He was a correct type of basketball player, and most people today don’t play the game correctly, and he did.”

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Keep in mind, Wilt was a man who barely complimented players. However, Larry Bird was one of the very few players who was constantly being lauded by Chamberlain during and after Bird’s career got over.