LARRY BIRD

KID YEARS

• He was born on December 12, 1956.
• He lived in French Lick, Indiana.
• This later gave him the nickname “The Hick from French Lick.”

COLLEGE

• Larry Bird started his college season at Indiana 1974.
• He only stayed at Indiana for one year then left to go Indiana State.
• He started there and in his senior year he played in the NCAA basketball championship versus Michigan State.

DRAFT PICKING

• In 1978 the Boston Celtics picked him in the first round sixth pick.
• But there’s a twist, in 1978 he was a Junior so he started playing in 1979 for the Celtics.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• He was Rookie of the Year in 1980.
• Bird played in All-Star Game in 1980-1988 and 1990-1992.
• He won the MVP 3 times in a row (1984-1986) and was only one of 3 players to ever do that.
• He won the All-Star MVP in 1982.
• Bird won NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986.
• Also he and the Boston Celtics won the NBA Championship 3 times.

INJURY

• He had a surgery so he couldn’t play till 1989.
• He didn’t play in the all-star game.
• They didn’t get into NBA Finals.
• He missed 22 games due to injury in 1988.

THE RIVALRY

• Michigan State had a player that’s name was Ervin “Magic” Johnson. That’s when they started their rivalry.
• Then he and Magic met in the NBA Championship 3 times.

RETIREMENT

• He went to retirement on August 18, 1992.
• He got into the NBA Hall of Fame.

LEADING THE PACERS

• He coached from 1997-2000.
• He brought them to the Finals in 2000.
• He was also the President from 2003-2012 and 2013-2017.
• Bird is the only person be the NBA MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.

FUN FACTS

• He played him self in 3 movies, Blue Chips, Space Jam, and Celtic Pride.
• Larry Bird and Ervin (Magic) Johnson wrote a book together called When the Game Was Ours.
• Twitter’s logo is named Larry in honor of Larry Bird.