Guide Note

Larry Bird is a Hall of Fame Basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics. He is widely considered one of the greatest all-around basketball players in the history of the game and is credited along with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan for the emergence of the game in the 80's as one of the most popular sports in the world. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 and was named to the 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. He is currently the President of the Indiana Pacers.

Fast Facts:

1. Born: December 7, 1956
2. Birth Place: West Baden Springs, Indiana
3. College: Indiana State University
4. Number: 33
5. Position: Small Forward
6. Played from 1979-1992
7. 3-time NBA MVP
8. 3-time NBA Champion
9. Inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1996

Early Life

Larry Joe Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana on December 7, 1956. He attended Springs Valley High School where he became the school's all-time leader in scoring. He went on to attend Indiana State University where he led the team to the NCAA Championship Game where they lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State University.

Pro Career

With the sixth pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected small forward Larry Bird. In his first season he won the NBA Rookie of the Year over future Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. It would be the first of many accolades in his illustrious career. He was an NBA Champion in 1981, 1984, and 1986, winning the Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. He also was the regular season MVP for three straight seasons from 1984-1986. He was a 12-time all-star, a member of the Olympic gold medal winning Dream Team and was named to the All-NBA First team 9 times.

Post Playing career.

After Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of fame in 1996. He went on to become the head coach of the Indiana Pacers in 1998 where he was named the NBA Coach of the Year in his first season. He would later lead the team to the finals in 2000, where they would lose to Shaquille O'Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is currently the President of Basketball Operations for the Indiana Pacers.

Larry Bird Timeline

• December 7, 1956: Born
• 1979: Debuts with Boston Celtics
• 1983: NBA MVP
• 1981: Won NBA Champion
• 1984: Won NBA Champion
• 1984: NBA MVP
• 1985: NBA MVP
• 1992: Olympic Gold Medal
• 1986: Won NBA Champion
• 1997: Coach of Indiana Pacers
• 1998: Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, NBA Coach of the Year
• 2003: President of Basketball Operations, Indiana Pacers

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