Bol is 15th all time in blocked shots with 2,086, but he did that in only 11,698 minutes. After leading the Celtics to a 295 start to the 199091 season, Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. 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. Data Provided By 1. . It was Larry Bird's height that made his basketball skills so remarkable. Nicknamed " the Hick from French Lick " and " Larry Legend ", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. A confirmation email has been sent. To put that in perspective, his hands are larger than that of LeBron James. During the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems. These heights are still well below the NBA average and well below Kareem's height of 7'2". Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984. [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. The average NBA basketball game lasts between two and two and a half hours. Great wingspan measurements comes from players of all heights. Pippen could pass like a point guard, rebound like a power forward, and score like a shooting guard. At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. Homepage Mock Drafts. The reality is that Pippen did a lot of things that made Jordan a better player. During the early parts of his career, he even started at power forward for Boston. To round out the finishing, shooting, and playmaking categories, put some points on close shot, driving layup, driving dunk, and post hook. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! There were also stories that he would walk up to opponents and tell them where he was going to attempt a game-winning shot. Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players score points by shooting (throwing) a ball through an elevated hoop located on either side of the rectangular court. [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. [96] Bird was the first player in NBA history to shoot 50% or better on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws in a single NBA season while achieving the league minimum for makes in each category. Some pundits consider Bird as one of the best outlet passers in the history of the league. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Any data prior to that is not a guarantee, and much of it is urban legend that grew a life of its own. He also had a career high of 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks on March 12, 1985. Remarkably Leonards wingspan may not be his freakiest attribute, as that would go to his hand size. A recent promotional poster out of New Orleans shows Davis with a 77 wingspan. [98] Bird won NBA three-point-shooting contests in three consecutive years. Dwight Howard is one of the premiere big men of the modern area, but stands at only 610. 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. Girlfriend / Spouse. The team improved its win total by 32 games from the year before he was drafted and finished first in the Eastern Conference. If Bol had any type of offensive game to merit him more minutes, he would have set the blocks record so high that it would have never been touched. 220lb (100kg) COUNTRY. [9] He has four brothers and a sister. [113] Despite having no previous coaching experience, Bird led the Pacers to a 5824 recordthe franchise's best as an NBA team at the timein the 199798 season,[114] and pushed the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. [3], A versatile player at both forward positions, he could play both inside and outside, being one of the first players in the league to take advantage of the newly adopted three-point line. With his freakish physical attributes, the future seems in very good, and large, hands. When Jordan played it was an open secret that players lied about their heights. Standing 69, Prince has a 72 inch wingspan, which appears even greater due to his rail thin physique (some people claim his wingspan is closer to 76). To put that into perspective that is only one inch shorter than Shaq's wingspan. The first regular-season game between the Celtics and the Lakers in the 198788 season proved to be a classic with Magic Johnson banking in an off-balance shot from near the three-point line at the buzzer for a 115114 Lakers win at Boston Garden. Honestly, all of them fit Bird so well. [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. To help you operate in the lane, this guide discusses the most effective post moves in NBA 2K22. NBA 2K23 Larry Bird Packs Card Challenge - vhpg.com 3940. [36] He averaged 21.9 points, 14 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for the postseason and 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7 assists per game for the Finals. Do you have a blog? You said there will be another Larry Bird. He finished his career with sterling averages of 24.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. There are a couple of pictures showing Wilt out stretched, and he certainly looks to possess a wing span in the range of 80. 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. 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. This has lead some to believe that he is still growing, while most believe it is just a case of the Pelicans stretching the truth a little. Charles Barkley has been quoted saying McHale was the best player he ever played against. Considering the troubling back issues Bird has had, which started during his playing days, exercise becomes a much tougher thing to do when you get older. [2] Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star, won two NBA Finals MVP awards and received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award three consecutive times (19841986), making him the only forward in league history to do so. This year marks his 10th year in the league, and by all accounts, he's had a relative unspectacular career. LeBron was definitely a better player. Scottie Pippen stood 68 inches, but had a wingspan of 73, which is modest in comparison to some of the other players on this list, but Pippen used that length to its full extent. Height. 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. Nicknamed "Larry Legend" or "The Hick from French Lick," Bird played the small forward and power forward positions. [49] In Game 6 of the Finals series, Bird recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Celtics won the Finals series 4 games to 2 against the Rockets. If it goes, it goes.". Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. Tall NBA Players Who Had Relatively Short Parents Indiana State University, High School: Menu. 2. The Hick from French Lick was the first ever to join the club. 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 . Hit the button below and we'll send this post to your inbox! But dont let Birds efficient scoring distract you from the fact that he was proficient in the other aspects of his game. NBA 2K23 Larry Bird Packs Card Name Overall Position Offense Defense Height Wingspan Weight Badges Total Stats Larry Bird Premium End Game 99 SF/PF 99 99 6'9 7'0 220 lbs 0, 0, 0, 80 3366 Larry Bird Premium Invincible 99 PG/SF 99 99 6'9 7'0 220 lbs 0, 0, 13, 65 3365 Larry Bird Premium Continue reading "NBA 2K23 Larry Bird Packs Card Challenge" But, as one journalist would say, They looked different, perhaps, but take a chainsaw to their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends.[72] Watching Bird play was like watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent that the league had never seen before. Because as previously discussed, Bird was an outstanding shooter. [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. 6. Bird returned to the Pacers in 2003 as president of basketball operations. The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals. 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. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107106, Bird stole an inbound pass. Rondo also poses very large hands at 9.5 inches long, and 10 inches wide. Unfortunately, thats not possible and some sacrifices will have to be made. Bird is one of the best shooters in the history of the sport. A 6-foot-9 forward who could dribble, pass and shoot the way Bird could made him one of the greatest NBA players we've ever seen and will ever see. His concentration and composure were unrivaled as well, and he established himself as one of the most unshakable and driven players in the NBA. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Deadeye Jump shots attempted with a defender closing out in front of the player will suffer a lower penalty. He is still young, and could be molded into something, but as it stands now, the Bismack Biyombo experiment is teetering on bust status. It was the first time the two star players would face each other in a head-to-head battle, and it began a friendship and rivalry that would span both players' careers. [49] The risk paid off; Walton's acquisition helped Boston win a league best 67 games. [46] At the conclusion of the year, Bird was named MVP for the second consecutive season behind averages of 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. He says they build their hearts up so much that when they retire, the hearts just sit there. 1. Bird stands 6-foot-9, and his listed weight during his playing days was 220 lbs. 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. The season finished with a national championship game match-up of Indiana State against Michigan State and featured a highly anticipated match-up of Bird against Michigan State great Magic Johnson, thus beginning a career-long rivalry that the two shared for over a decade. 4. West only stood 62 which would make his wingspan 9.5% greater than his height. Have you heard of the 50-40-90 club? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. One of those things was being a relentless defender. [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Not since Bill Russell squared off against Wilt Chamberlain had professional basketball enjoyed such a marquee matchup. Lastly, the wingspan can be reduced to around 83.0 inches. Larry Bird | Biography & Facts | Britannica Durant is one of the 6 members of the 50-40-90 club. However, by then his formerly relentless attack on the court had been slowed by a bad back. In his career, he averaged 2 steals a game and was named to the all-defensive team 10 out of 17 years he was in the league. I couldn't miss. [42] Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. D raft E xpress. In 1997 Bird accepted the head coach position with the Indiana Pacers, a move that returned him to his home state. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. [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. Conversely, the height change will cause a negative impact on perimeter defense, lateral quickness, and steal. Larry Bird's wife, Dinah Mattingly, is his high school sweetheart who got engaged and married the former NBA legend in 1989. AboutPressCopyrightContact. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". Davis stands 610, and, at the 2012 pre-draft combine, was measured to have a 75 wing span. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. KG Living Legend Don Nelson Posts: 8383 When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. 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. Larry Bird was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 1998 (Full List) Larry Bird Vertical Jump - Height, Number, Stats and Championship Rings Howard has used that wingspan to become an elite rebounder and shot blocker. A 6-foot 9-inch (2.06-metre) forward, he was known for his unflappable confidence and clutch shooting ability, which together created an intimidating presence on the court. [23], Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. [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. Because of this, you can just focus on what Bird was exceptionally good at. 9. Height: 6'9" (206 cm) Weight: 220 lbs (100 kg) Position: F High School: . 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. College basketball games are played with two 20 minute periods, while professional NBA basketball games consist of four quarters of 12 minutes each. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. Larry Bird Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more The other shooting badges you should look to upgrade are Catch & Shoot, Corner Specialist, Difficult Shots, Fade Ace, Slippery Off-Ball, and Volume Shooter. 5. Charles Barkley was measured at 6 ft 4 5/8, Jordan is anywhere from 6 ft 4 to 6 ft 4 1/2. BEST LARRY BIRD BUILD 2K22 NEXT GEN (EXACT HEIGHT, WEIGHT & WINGSPAN) REAL LIFE BUILD SERIES VOL.44. ", "Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and the 10 Best Closers in NBA History", "Ranking 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History", "StaTuesday: Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon on pace for rare 50-40-90 season", "How Larry Bird won the first 3 All-Star shootouts", "Professor LeBron delivered a history lesson on Larry Bird's legendary game", "Larry Bird in photos: The 'Hick from French Lick' becomes Celtics legend", "Talking the talk: An '86 Celtics trash-talking tale", "Kevin McHale shares a classic Larry Bird trash talk story", "On This Day 22 Years Ago, the NBA's Best Trash Talker Retired", "Dennis Rodman recounts how Larry Bird schooled him in '87 playoffs", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bird Shoots for Coaching Greatness With the Pacers", "After the NBA Finals, Larry Bird Will Quit as Indiana's Coach. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Then you have a player like Dwyane Wade who is 65, but has a wingspan of 610. Find out more. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. In 1999, when he won his first Defensive Player of the Year, he had an insane 3.9 blocks a game. Johnson and the Spartans triumphed, but Larry Bird left Indiana State that year with the USBWA College Player of the Year Award, the Naismith Award and the Wooden Award. He was a great post scorer and could dominate the paint like a big man. Mourning was blessed with God given length, but it was his heart and passion for the game that ultimately made him one of the best that ever stepped on an NBA court. This is a very scary thought for a lot of NBA players, both past and present. [56] Bird averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game for the championship round. The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. He played both the small forward and power forward positions. [85], Bird has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time. The problem for Bol was his offensive game was non-existent. [70], In the summer of 1992, Bird joined Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and other NBA stars to play for the United States men's national basketball team in that year's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. An option for your characters secondary skill is playmaking. 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. Positions: Small forward, power forwardYears Active: 19791992, Drawings include:Larry Bird standing, shooting, dribbling, NBA - National Basketball AssociationWikipedia - Basketball. 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. At the time, he was also the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history. [20] For his college career, he averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game,[21] leading the Sycamores to an 8113 record during his tenure. In his career, Bol averaged 3.3 blocks a game, in just 18.7 minutes. [28] On November 14, 1979, Bird recorded his first career triple-double with 23 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a 115111 win over the Detroit Pistons. To advance the ball down the court, players must bounce the ball (dribble) or pass it to a teammate. Navigation Toggle NBA. A 1980s Converse commercial for its "Weapon" line of basketball shoes (endorsed by both Bird and Johnson) reflected the perceived dichotomy between the two players. Thank you! Everyone knows that Manute Bol was the tallest player in NBA history, but he also possessed the largest wingspan. These include Blinders and Deadeye. He was briefly married to first wife Janet Condra from 1975-76 and has a daughter with her named Corrie. Here's what the science reveals. The dramatic play saved the series for the Celtics. And TMac is easily 6'8 or 6'9. A persons wingspan is the measurement from the tips of one finger to the other. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. Want updates on new Dimensions content? Larry Bird - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com 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 is also the youngest player to reach 1,000 rebounds, and each benchmark from that point through to 9,000 rebounds. In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court (in reality the court was one Bird had made on the property in French Lick that he had purchased for his mother), when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match. [77], Bird was voted onto the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team list in 1996,[78][79] and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. That length helped him become one of the most prolific shot blocker in league history. Thus, you have to upgrade the Break Starter badge. 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. His mother, Cora Lillian, had an above average height at six feet. HEIGHT. [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. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. 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 Bird played the small forward and power forward positions at a height of 6'9" (2.06 m). Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. He mentioned in his own book about his height, saying "I was almost six-four as a junior, six-six or so as a senior and I grew to Six-Nine. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Larry Bird, Birth Year: 1956, Birth date: December 7, 1956, Birth State: Indiana, Birth City: West Baden Springs, Birth Country: United States. [citation needed] The apparent contrast between the two players and their respective teams seemed scripted for television: Bird, the introverted small-town hero with the blue-collar work ethic, fit perfectly with the throwback, hard-nosed style of the Celtics, while the stylish, gregarious Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced Showtime offense amidst the bright lights and celebrities of Los Angeles. A persons wingspan is the. Bird began the next chapter of his life as a front-office special assistant for the Celtics, a post he held for five years. Larry Bird believes NBA big men die young. Is he right? - ESPN.com [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. Dirk can't be 6'10. 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.