Best Known For: Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. McHale stood 610 and was reported to have a colossal wingspan that stretched to 80. The summer of 1992 marked the first time the United States sent professional athletes to the Olympic Games. Per 48 minutes that number would be 8.6 blocks a game and the next closest to him is Mark Eaton at only 5.3. This ratio is one of the higher percentages for players who have played in the NBA. He had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but his back problems continued and he missed 37 games during the 199192 season. [21] In the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers. Everyone knows that Manute Bol was the tallest player in NBA history, but he also possessed the largest wingspan. [103] Bird was also referred to as "Larry Legend". 2021 Dimensions.com |All rights reserved, For 2D Downloads of this element, upgrade to a Dimensions Pro Membership. [36] Boston fell behind 31 to start the series but won the next three games to advance to the Finals against the Houston Rockets,[37] winning in six games and earning Bird his first championship. Bol is 15th all time in blocked shots with 2,086, but he did that in only 11,698 minutes. [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. When Jordan played it was an open secret that players lied about their heights. [92] Bird is also remembered as one of the foremost clutch performers in the history of the NBA; he was known for his excellent play in high-stakes, high-pressure situations. Despite no previous coaching experience, he led the Pacers to a 58-24 record the franchise's best at the time in the 1997-98 season and was named the NBA Coach of the Year. Bird and his teammates easily won the Olympic gold medal for the United States, and just a few weeks later, Bird announced his retirement as a player. When you factor in the rest of his all around game, it is no surprise he is one of the NBAs 50 greatest players. Biyombo stands 68, but has a wingspan that stretches out to 76. The other shooting badges you should look to upgrade are Catch & Shoot, Corner Specialist, Difficult Shots, Fade Ace, Slippery Off-Ball, and Volume Shooter. Take for instance Yao Ming, who stood an impressive 76, but his wingspan was actually smaller than his height at 75 inches. With his freakish physical attributes, the future seems in very good, and large, hands. Larry Bird was born in West Baden, Indiana. Only eight other NBA players have achieved the rare feat. I'm not lying awake at night thinking about it. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics reached the playoffs in every one of Bird's 13 seasons, although he missed most of the 1988-89 season due to injury, and added titles in 1984 and 1986. [33][34][35] Behind Bird's leadership and Boston's upgraded roster, the Celtics again advanced to the Conference Finals for a rematch with the 76ers. [59] The Celtics fell short in 1988 losing to the Detroit Pistons in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals as the Pistons made up from the heartbreak the previous season. He was one of the best shot blockers in NBA history and a lot of that, obviously, had to do with the enormous wingspan. An option for your characters secondary skill is playmaking. Indiana State. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. His extra length allows him to keep the ball away from incoming defenders, making for some spectacular finishes. Larry Bird is a charming man with brown eyes and dark brown hair. All Rights Reserved. The way you will be building your character will give you a lot of potential badge upgrades under the shooting category. At either end of the spectrum, the measurement would be considered elite. [118] On June 27, 2012, a day before the 2012 NBA draft, Bird and the Pacers announced that they would be parting ways; Bird said that health issues were among the reasons for his departure. 220lb (100kg) COUNTRY. His mother, Cora Lillian, had an above average height at six feet. In the piece, Bird theorizes that the big men who played the hardest and ran the most are the most susceptible to passing away early. The strain that goes on the heart of someone that tall is tough, and despite being rewarded financially for their skills and size, having that life cut short because of that same size is their reality. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Leonardo Da Vincis Vitruvian man depicts the ideal human as having a wingspan equal to his height, but this was based off a human that was 55. CelebHeights.com Rob Paul 2004-2023. To help you grind efficiently, we have a guide on how to earn more VCs in NBA 2K22. One report claims McHale could tie his shoes without having to bend over. Larry Bird Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 2", "Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, December 9, 1984", "Relive the Moment: Larry Bird Easily Wins Inaugural 3-Point Contest After Asking Field Who Would Finish Second", "Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 27, 1985", "Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, March 10, 1986", "Larry Legend Bird wins third straight MVP", "Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics Box Score, June 8, 1986", "Converse Commercial (1986) with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "Bird's Garden Party: Celtics Make It a Magical Night for Larry Legend", "Against All Those Hawks, One Bird Is Enough for Celtics", "Legendary Moments in NBA History: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins battle in Game 7", "Bird Bids Farewell, Retires From Celtics", "Dream Team a star-studded sight to behold for gazers on, off court", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers", "10 reasons we still love Larry Bird on his 60th birthday", "PRO BASKETBALL; A Bashful Larry Bird Joins Hall Of Fame", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Hall of Famers", "1992 Dream Team Inducted into Hall of Fame", It started in Sacramento: LeBron James, back in NBA Finals, makes our all-time starting 5, "Who's The Best Small Forward Of All Time: Larry Bird Or LeBron James? Height 1 Feet 9.5 Inch Weight 100 kg Personal Info Date of Birth 1956, December 7 Age 65 Years Old Famous Name Country United States US Facts Birth Name Larry Joe Bird Net Worth $55 million Currently Married Yes Birth Country West Baden Springs, Indiana Married to Dannah Mattingly Famous Name Larry Past married if any Janet Condra Children Yes As listed, his height is 6 ft 9 inches (2.06m), and his weight is 220lb (100kg). [48], Before the start of the 198586 season, the Celtics made a daring trade for Bill Walton, an All-Star center with a history of injury. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. He is still young, and could be molded into something, but as it stands now, the Bismack Biyombo experiment is teetering on bust status. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. Takeover The game will provide you with three takeover options. Pippen could pass like a point guard, rebound like a power forward, and score like a shooting guard. For this, you will need a ton of VCs. That is 6.5% greater than his height. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He mentioned in his own book about his height, saying, Photo ImageCollect.com / Mike Springer-PHOTOlink.net. Bird won 3 MVPs in a row, 2 rings, and 2 finals MVPs in that stretch, plus was 2nd and 3rd in MVP voting in the 2 years he didn't win MVP in that stretch. Brand was a great post defender and shot blocker, as he averaged 2 blocks a game from 2001-2008. A big reason for those 9 blocks can be attributed to his gargantuan wingspan. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. When he was on fire from the three-point line or mid-range, no one can stop him. Bird got his 3rd 2nd team all defense in 84, it's not like he was slouch on that end, even if Lebron was the better defender. The three-time MVP helped redefine the position and his battles with Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers is the standard for NBA rivalry even today. 1 Answer. These include Blinders and Deadeye. '"[107] When playing against Dennis Rodman, a player known for his defensive abilities, in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Bird continually belittled Rodman's ability, at one point asking the opposing head coach to send in someone up to the task of guarding him. Their friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. Rajon Rondo only stands 61, but has a wingspan that stretches to 69. [42] Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Available in 3DM (Rhino), OBJ (NURB), SKP(Sketchup)formats, Dimensions.com is a project by Fantastic Offense, Dimensions is a project by Fantastic Offense. Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope are nicknames for Larry Bird. 1. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. You said there will be another Larry Bird. The legend was quite ahead of his time. Larry Bird, along with "Magic" Johnson and Michael Jordan, is one of the most recognized names in the history of basketball. Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1998 (Full List), More Larry Bird pages at Sports Reference. [57], The '86 Celtics are commonly ranked as one of the greatest basketball teams of all time, with the Boston Globe's Peter May and Grantland's Bill Simmons listing them at number one. The problem for Bol was his offensive game was non-existent. Drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after his second year at Indiana State, Bird elected to stay in college and returned for the 19781979 season. After protracted negotiations, Bird inked a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the team on June 8, making him the highest-paid rookie in sports history. His shotblocking prowess is also noted as he has led the league twice in this category, and has a career average of 2.2 blocks. [54], With averages of 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, and 2 steals per game, Bird became just the third player in NBA history to win three consecutive MVP Awards. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. Despite many peoples belief, Bol was not solely a freakshow, as he sustained a 10 year NBA career, playing for 4 different teams. It's a given that most players are listed 1-1.5 inches taller than they're actual heights since they're measured with shoes. He was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 19971998 season and later led the Pacers to a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. He was briefly married to first wife Janet Condra from 1975-76 and has a daughter with her named Corrie. In setting your players potential, be sure to maximize shooting and playmaking attributes, particularly the mid-range shot, three-point shot, free throw, pass accuracy, and ball handle. Because that was usually how the Hall of Famer took over games. The NBA logo features a silhouette of Jerry West, and that player does appear to have rather long arms. For 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979-80 through 1991-92, Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play as a scorer, a. In his career, Bol averaged 3.3 blocks a game, in just 18.7 minutes. He chose to return to Indiana State for one more year and led the Sycamores to the NCAA championship game against the Michigan State Spartans, a team led by another future NBA superstar, Ervin .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}"Magic" Johnson. Playing in the shadow of the greatest player in NBA history is a daunting task and people will always wonder how much of Pippens success was due to Jordan. He is not dating anyone. It's an entirely different game when you're Six-Nine." ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. Top 15 Most Impressive Wingspans In NBA History, 10 WCW Character Transformations That Made No Sense, 10 Wrestlers Vince McMahon Signed From The AWA (& Turned Them Into Stars), Dominik Mysterio Speaks About Where His "Prison Dom" Character In WWE Came From. Falling out of bounds, Bird turned and passed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a game-winning 2-point layup with less than a second left. Do you have a sports website? Wade is measure at 6 ft 3 3/4 Barefeet and he is also the same height as Kobe Bryant. Post Playmaker When the player passes out of the post or coming off an offensive board, the recipient receives a shot boost. When Durant drives the lane, his length allows him to finish with greater success, and have less shots contested. [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. For these reasons, the other badges you should consider upgrading are Bullet Passer, Post Playmaker, and Special Delivery. You will often hear basketball pundits state that a player has great length. To be part of this group, a player must record at least 50% field goal percentage, 40% three-point field goal percentage, and 90% free throw percentage throughout a season. Davis stands 610, and, at the 2012 pre-draft combine, was measured to have a 75 wing span. To advance the ball down the court, players must bounce the ball (dribble) or pass it to a teammate. Unlike the other popular wing players of his generation, such as Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins, Bird did not have the hops to jump over opponents. [61] The historical rift between the teams, which faced each other several times in championship series of the 1960s, fueled fan interest in the rivalry. Hit the button below and we'll send this post to your inbox! He is a 66 player, and he's held his own thanks to a 260 pound base and a 73 wingspan. One of those things was being a relentless defender. 6-keys: media/spln/nba/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Lastly, the wingspan can be reduced to around 83.0 inches. Kahit sa imports coming into the PBA, after the official measurement, they are suddenly 2 inches shorter, heee. Bird also led the Celtics in rebounding, with an average of 10.4 per game, as well as in steals and minutes played. Some pundits consider Bird as one of the best outlet passers in the history of the league. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.[1]. [70] Many people realized that the emergence of these two stars were linked with the rise in popularity of the NBA, as the NBA started to market towards these two stars. [15] After less than a month on the Indiana University campus he dropped out of school, finding the adjustment between his small hometown and the large student population of Bloomington to be overwhelming. Bird has been married to Dinah Mattingly since 1989. We present them here for purely educational purposes. At 66 years old, Larry Bird height is 206 cm . Because as previously discussed, Bird was an outstanding shooter. Former NBA coach Hubie Brown had this to say about McHale: "He was totally unstoppable because of his quickness, diversification of moves and the long arms that gave him an angle to release the ball over a taller man or more explosive jumper." 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Height: 5 feet 5 inches (167 cm) Weight: 56 kg (123 lb) Eye Colour: Hazel: Hair Colour: Golden: Shoe Size: N/A: Martial Status: Married: Husband: Larry Bird . More player info From Jackie MacMullan of ESPN the Magazine: Bird, who has an enlarged heart, was diagnosed in 1995 with atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heartbeat resulting from electrical signals being generated chaotically throughout the heart's upper chambers. 9. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The losses of Moses Malone (60 years old), Darryl Dawkins (58), Anthony Mason (48), Christian Welp (51) and Jack Haley (51) all in the last year are a reminder of Bird's and others' contemporaries and peers during their playing days passing away far too young. By going for a shooting plus defense/rebounding build, you will have a two-way player at your disposal. Catch & Shoot The badge increases the shooting percentage of a player attempting a three-pointer immediately after receiving a pass. Menu. 4. The average modern human being is said to have a wingspan 2 inches greater than his height. [71], Journalists speculated that Bird and Magic represented different contrasts, such as clashes between Celtics and Lakers, between East and West, and between Blacks and Whites. [96], Bird is also remembered as an excellent passer[100] and defender. He came out of nowhere to intercept an inbound pass by All-Star Isiah Thomas then immediately dished the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson who made the buzzer-beating layup to give the Celtics the win. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: [97] He accomplished this feat twice. Nicknamed Larry Legend or The Hick from French Lick, Bird played the small forward and power forward positions for the Boston Celtics in his entire career. He played both the small forward and power forward positions. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. A persons wingspan is the measurement from the tips of one finger to the other. DiamondLobby is owned and operated by Rank Zero LTD, Company Number 10507049, and is a registered trade mark (UK00003715943). Any data prior to that is not a guarantee, and much of it is urban legend that grew a life of its own. But if youre a fan of Birds game, then there are ways to customize your character to dominate on the court like the former Celtics superstar. This is another case of parents being relatively short to their son. The couple . Those three players would form a legendary frontline, perhaps the greatest in NBA history. Celtics General Manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more than any Celtic on the current roster, but Bird's agent Bob Woolf told Auerbach that Bird would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the 1979 draft instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Bird would have been the likely top pick. Following his junior year, Bird was selected with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. [58], In 1987, the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. His concentration and composure were unrivaled as well, and he established himself as one of the most unshakable and driven players in the NBA. Even after his retirement as a professional basketball player, Larry Bird's name still comes up in the NBA because of his coaching skills and the executive role he holds in the NBA. "She hates it when I say that. The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold medal. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. Larry Bird was 6'9" no wingspan numbers but he had average looking arms. Dirk can't be 6'10. Larry Bird was such a player. The Hick from French Lick was the first ever to join the club. Because of this, you can just focus on what Bird was exceptionally good at. To put that in perspective, number 10 is legendary Robert Parish and he put up only 300 more blocks than Bol in his career, but it took him 45,704 minutes. Lastly, the wingspan can be reduced to around 83.0 inches. [105][106] He was known for telling his opponents how and where in the court he would score against them; Xavier McDaniel recounted that Bird predicted a game-winning shot against him, then "shot a shot right in my face and was like 'Damn, I didn't mean to leave two seconds on the clock. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. [7], Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia (ne Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War. That is a 12% increase in wingspan from his height. Even when considering his height, the wingspan is still 12.1% larger than his body. McHale is known as one of the best post players in NBA history due to his great footwork and arsenal of moves. Part of the reason, he admits, was his own fatalistic view of what the future would bring. [40] Boston's misfortunes continued into the next season, with Bird again finishing second in MVP voting to Malone and the team losing in the Conference Semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks. Astrological Sign: Sagittarius, Article Title: Larry Bird Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/larry-bird, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 20, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. HEIGHT. section: | slug: nba-legend-larry-bird-says-he-doesnt-think-hell-make-it-to-the-age-of-75 | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | Bird averaged 10.0 rebounds per game in his career. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's Top 50 athletes of the 20th century, with only five other basketball players ranked higher. He made the All-Star team 12 times and was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1982. Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984. He was a great post scorer and could dominate the paint like a big man. DiamondLobby / NBA 2K22 / The Best Larry Bird Build in NBA 2K22. For the defense/rebounding badges, there will only be a limited number of options. His elite wingspan has allowed him to dominant the game over the last 10 years, and he has carved himself out a Hall of Fame worthy career. Bird won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics besides being a three-time NBA MVP, twelve-time NBA All-Star, and two-time Finals MVP. Your submission has been received! It was Larry Bird's height that made his basketball skills so remarkable. [19][20] Indiana State lost the game 7564, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots. Kevin McHale was one of the best players of the 1980s. The Celtics ended up losing to the Lakers in six games, with Bird averaging 24.2 points on .445 shooting, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the championship series.