Larry Bird rose to prominence in a time when it was uncommon for white men to make it as professional in a sport that was governed by black men, let alone excel at it. His dominance however earned the respect of some of the greatest players to play the game.
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Bird was selected as the sixth overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1978 draft. The then 22-year-old straight away impressed the franchise with his unique skillset and mettle.
It was transparent that Bird was on the cusp of greatness, and would soon reign over the league in spectacular fashion. The overall game of Bird was levels above that of a seasoned veteran in the league, at a mere 22 years of age.
And while that made for a blithe scenario for Bird and the franchise, the Celtics forward would soon be a victim of the harsh realities surrounding sports. Which is that passionate fans would surpass any boundaries to enable their team to victories.
Fortunately for the three-time NBA MVP, the silver lining was that he would learn this as a rookie.
Larry Bird credits Nate Archibald for aiding him
His book, Bird Watching, which was released in 1999, detailed an incident in his rookie year, where he was the recipient of death threats from opposing fans.
Albeit a rookie, Bird’s impact on the Celtics was immense. In fact, he was so good that his presence alone left opposition players and fans alike, ruffled. So much so, that they had to devise other strategies to throw him off his game.
His work garnered the respect of veteran great, Nate Archibald. At the time, Archibald was eight years into his NBA career at the time and had dealt with multiple similar situations.
Bird recalled an instance where he once received death threats from New York Knicks fans, but thankfully had Nate Archibald diffuse the issue.
He stated:
“I remember during my rookie year we played an exhibition game in New York City. I was rooming with Tiny Archibald, and the phone rang and I picked it up, and somebody was on the other end telling me they were going to kill me.
Bird continued:
“I hung up, and Tiny said, “Who was that?” I told him, “Some guy that’s going to kill me.” The phone rang again, and this time Tiny picked it up. He chewed that guy out for a good ten minutes, but I really wasn’t upset about it. I just went on. I knew the guy wasn’t really going to kill me. You have to get used to that kind of thing when you are in the public eye.”
Nate Archibald made a name for himself due to his ruthless persona, which instilled fear in many. He was also an exceptional player throughout his NBA career, earning All-Star selections during the twilight years of his career.
In New York, this has always been the case. Their fans are arguably one of the most passionate groups in all of the American sports. They don’t hold themselves accountable in most scenarios and often surpass limits to ensure their voices are heard.
Larry Legend was feared
To comprehend just how great Larry Bird was during his time, the three-time NBA champion once effortlessly won a three-point contest whilst dawning his warm-up jacket.
The riveting aspect of this display was that he shot the ball effortlessly in an era where the three-point shot wasn’t utilized. As the current generation says: ‘A walking bucket’!
Bird’s presence was eventually feared by the majority of the NBA, due to his antics aligned with his superiority in the game.
Had it not been for consistent injuries, there remains no doubt that the prolific scorer would have amassed another couple of championships to his belt, before the halt of his career.
