Larry Bird had a very nonchalant attitude towards everything on and off the court which became the staple of his personality over the years. He has been described as a ‘no-nonsense’ man, and several stories can back this claim. Mark Calcavecchia detailed one such instance.
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According to an article from the New York Times, Calcavecchia after winning the 1989 British Open, was on cloud nine. Under the impression that he was a big deal, he decided to go ahead and greet Bird who was around the corner of the kitchen and that’s when he realized that everything that’s said about his personality is true.
“I had just won the British Open and I kind of thought I was a little bit of a big deal. I was in the kitchen looking in the refrigerator for something to eat and Larry Bird walked around the corner. I’m a big fan of his. I said, ‘Hey, Larry. Mark Calcavecchia.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, whatever,’ and kind of pushed me out of the way. That was my first introduction to Larry Bird,” he recalled.
It’s worth noting that Calcavecchia wasn’t another regular person, especially at the time. He was a highly accomplished athlete in his sport just like Bird was in basketball. However, the Celtics legend couldn’t care less about his stature and it wasn’t personal because he was like that with most people.
Several people have detailed their stories of meeting Bird and they’ve been blown away by his personality. Bird was a fierce competitor, a man of his word, and a personality that could attract anyone’s attention. All of these qualities have been reflected in different stories that people have told about him.
The Larry Bird stories
Bird was a 6’9, 200 lbs forward, which is a decent physique for a basketball player but his being white didn’t send out the same message to everyone. Cedric Maxwell made the same mistake and underestimated what Larry Legend could do. During his appearance on Paul Pierce’s Truth Lounge show, he recalled his encounter with Bird in his rookie year.
He said, “I’m looking at him when we have the first practice and thinking, ‘Pshhh. This ought to be a piece of cake.’ Guy don’t look fast, don’t look good. I’m about to do something to him. Boyyyyy, I’m telling you. It changed my opinion about racism in this world.” As time went by, Bird earned a great reputation for his game and started being recognized as one of the best.
This also helped him be a little more cocky. During his appearance on The Green Light with Chris Long, Chris Webber talked about getting an opportunity to play against the 1992 Dream Team. Webber said that even though he didn’t have a lot of interactions with Bird, there was one that he’ll always remember.
“I get in the car, it’s Larry f**kin’ Bird! And uh I shake his hand, I’m quiet, you know? Trying to feel that balance in the car… When we get out, he goes, ‘Hope you get your sleep tonight, because Imma bust your a** tomorrow!'” he recalled. Bird’s nonchalant personality continued to impress people even after his retirement.
After retiring as a player, Larry Legend went on to coach the Indiana Pacers and that’s where he met Reggie Miller and Mark Jackson. During an appearance on The Mark Jackson Show, Miller recalled how he and Jackson once found their coach smoking cigarettes while the team was practicing.
As the players were getting their layups in, Miller and Jackson felt the need to reach out to their coach. The NBA legends couldn’t remember why they were looking for him but they had a clear recollection of where they found him. Miller said, “So, we head back to the showers because we had to ask him this question before we got out there…Larry Legend is sitting in a chair, got a pack of Newport, just smoking away.”
Even to this day, the sight makes them chuckle because Bird might be sitting in the bathroom and smoking cigarettes wasn’t even the last thing on their minds.
