3940. Or write about sports? [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. Any data prior to that is not a guarantee, and much of it is urban legend that grew a life of its own. Because that was usually how the Hall of Famer took over games. Alonzo Mourning had a decorated NBA career as a seven-time all-star who had two Defensive Player of the Year awards and one NBA title. Wilt Chamberlain is part of many extraordinary tales and finding accurate data on the legendary big man is no small feat. Charles Barkley was measured at 6 ft 4 5/8, Jordan is anywhere from 6 ft 4 to 6 ft 4 1/2. He is a four-time All-Defensive team member, and he led the league in steals in 2009-10. Bird was one of the greatest players ever in crunch time, making four buzzer-beaters throughout his career. However, I suggest going for Spot Up Shooter. Durant is what is referred to as a hop shooter, something rare for a player of his height. You will often hear basketball pundits state that a player has great length. [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. 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. You will often hear basketball pundits state that a player has great length. Special Delivery Improves the chances of connecting with an alley-oop pass and increases the shot percentage of teammates who receive a flashy pass from the player. Larry Bird was born in West Baden, Indiana. Maxiell shows how an undersized player can keep pace with taller guys when they possess elite wingspan. His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. Signing with the Celtics for a then-record $650,000 a year, Bird justified his salary right out of the gate, averaging 21.3 points per game and claiming Rookie of the Year honors for the 1979-80 NBA season. At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. Slippery Off-Ball Increases the players chances of shaking off an opponent when attempting to get open using off-ball screens. [55] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up against the Rockets in the Finals. A persons wingspan is the. However, the sharpshooting forward felt some trepidation about the size of the Hoosier campus and withdrew from school, enrolling at Indiana State the next year. inWest Baden,Indiana Bird had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. 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. Durant is one of the 6 members of the 50-40-90 club. Take for instance Yao Ming, who stood an impressive 76, but his wingspan was actually smaller than his height at 75 inches. 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. These heights are still well below the NBA average and well below Kareem's height of 7'2". [83] Universally recognized as an all-time great player, Bird was placed at the power forward position on an NBA all-time starting five roster with fellow superstars Magic Johnson (point guard), Michael Jordan (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) in 2020. During the 2000s, Brand was one of the better rebounders and defenders. [21] He did not sign with the Celtics immediately; instead, he played out his final season at Indiana State and led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. Larry Bird's bio Height: 6-foot-9 Weight: 220 pounds Birthdate: Dec. 7, 1956 College: Indiana State NBA experience: 13 years Jersey number: 33 Larry Bird's career NBA stats Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) Two-time NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) Chew on these numbers for a moment. 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 . Fade Ace This provides a shot boost to post fadeaways. This ratio is one of the higher percentages for players who have played in the NBA. He couldn't miss. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It is that length that has sustained Brands career. A 6-foot-9 forward who could dribble, pass and shoot the way Bird could made him one of the greatest NBA players. [29] On November 23, Bird recorded his first 30-point scoring game (along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists) in a 118103 win over the Indiana Pacers. This is a very scary thought for a lot of NBA players, both past and present. 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. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. At 66 years old, Larry Bird height is 206 cm . Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. Shoots: Bird returned to the Pacers in 2003 as president of basketball operations. Ideally, you should be able to select a player archetype that excels in finishing, shooting, playmaking, and defense/rebounding to make the best Larry Bird build in NBA 2K22. 6 ft 9 in or 206 cm. What does stand out is Maxiells stature. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. It seems every time he steps on a court he is a threat for a triple double, and a lot of that can attributed to his ridiculous wingspan. Someone like Boozer who's measured as 6'7 3/4 isn't any shorter than other players listed at 6'9 too. What is not a stretch is that Davis is a premiere athlete, with an incredible wingspan. Want updates on new Dimensions content? [96], Bird is also remembered as an excellent passer[100] and defender. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. 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. [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. The four-time NBA scoring champ is a player who uses his impressive wingspan to gain an advantage on the offensive side of the court. For these reasons, the other badges you should consider upgrading are Bullet Passer, Post Playmaker, and Special Delivery. 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. Bird was also a member of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team known as the "Dream Team". [120] He continued to serve as an advisor until July, 2022, when he "stepped back from maintaining an active role with the Indiana Pacers". [51][52], On November 27, 1985, Bird recorded 47 points to go along with 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 132124 win over the Detroit Pistons. 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. And it went down to the last shot of the game. That is 4x the amount of time it took Bol to put up roughly the same amount of blocks. [8][14], Bird's youngest brother, Eddie Bird, also played basketball at Indiana State University. Bird, Johnson, Michael Jordan and other NBA stars formed the American men's basketball team, which would become known as the "Dream Team." Sign in or Register to join the conversations! Following an attempted reconciliation, Bird and Condra had a daughter, Corrie, in 1977. [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. LAST ATTENDED. With his freakish physical attributes, the future seems in very good, and large, hands. Post Spin Technician Attempting to perform post spins or drives result in more effective moves, and lessens the chances of getting stripped by opponents. Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984. He was a raw athlete out of the Democratic Republic of Congo, having only picked up the sport at the age of 16. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. That length has made him one of the best point guard defenders. Bird stands 6-foot-9, and his listed weight during his playing days was 220 lbs. Larry Bird's wingspan is 86.9 inches. His extra length allows him to keep the ball away from incoming defenders, making for some spectacular finishes. 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. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Bird knows all about the problems with 7-footers and their health, and despite his wife's aversion to wanting to hear about it, reaching 75 years old isn't something Bird, 59 and now president of the Pacers, necessarily expects to accomplish. Dwight Howard is one of the premiere big men of the modern area, but stands at only 610. [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. Scaled 2Ddrawings and 3Dmodels available for download. [101] In recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird was named to three All-Defensive Second Teams. The legend was quite ahead of his time. [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. Following his junior year, Bird was selected with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. "I tell my wife all the time, 'You don't see many 7-footers walking around at the age of 75,'" says Bird, who's 6-foot-9. 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. So, you will have to allocate some of the points to these attributes. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's Top 50 athletes of the 20th century, with only five other basketball players ranked higher. [7], Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia (ne Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War. Larry Bird was such a player. [27], Before the 198081 season, the Celtics selected forward Kevin McHale in the draft and acquired center Robert Parish from the Golden State Warriors,[31][32] forming a Hall of Fame trio for years to come; the front-court of Bird, McHale, and Parish is regarded as one of the greatest front-courts in NBA history. When you factor in the rest of his all around game, it is no surprise he is one of the NBAs 50 greatest players. Increasing the height will give these attributes a huge boost anyway. [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. BEST LARRY BIRD BUILD 2K22 NEXT GEN (EXACT HEIGHT, WEIGHT & WINGSPAN) REAL LIFE BUILD SERIES VOL.44. The Best Michael Jordan Build in NBA 2K22, How to Set Realistic Game Sliders in NBA 2K22, Teams With the Most Cap Space in NBA 2K22 MyGM. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. CelebHeights.com Rob Paul 2004-2023. But Don't Bet That He Won't Be Back", "Larry Bird stepping down from Pacers post", "For 2nd time, Hall-of-Famer Bird resigns as Pacers president", "Larry Bird resigns as Pacers president, Kevin Pritchard to take over", "Pacers' Larry Bird is NBA Executive of the Year", "Indiana Pacers part ways with Larry Bird", "Bird Steps Down; Pritchard Named President of Basketball Operations", "Larry Bird No Longer Has an Active Role with the Pacers, Confirms Kevin Pritchard", NBA unveils redesigned Larry O'Brien, Bill Russell trophies, announces new conference finals MVP awards - CBS Sports.com, 1992 U.S. OLYMPIC MENS BASKETBALL TEAM - Team USA.org, "2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team", "FULL VERSION: McDonald's Commercial with LeBron James and Dwight Howard", "Twitter's Logo Is Named After Larry Bird", "Larry Bird is Always on Twitter Even Without Having an Account", "ESPN Classic - Bird had eye for victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Larry_Bird&oldid=1142161893, Trophy named in Bird's honor (Larry Bird Trophy) awarded to Eastern Conference Finals MVP (established in 2022), 1992 Olympic gold medal (U.S. national team). Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. I couldn't miss. 2002 NBA Pre Draft Measurement 2002 NBA Pre-Draft Camp Measurements Player Ht. This will provide a huge boost in the attributes under this category. When Durant drives the lane, his length allows him to finish with greater success, and have less shots contested. [24][14][25] Shortly afterwards, NBA draft eligibility rules were changed to prevent teams from drafting players before they were ready to sign, a rule known as the Bird Collegiate Rule. Mock Archives 2017 Mock Draft 2016 Mock Draft . Name: Larry Bird Birth Year: 1956 Birth date: December 7, 1956 Birth State: Indiana Birth City: West Baden Springs Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: Basketball icon Larry. The couple . International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. And to show you how skill beats jumping ability and athleticism, during his 13-year NBA career from 1979 to 1992, he won 3 championship rings with the Celtics. Rebound Chaser Raises the players ability to track down rebounds from farther distances than normal. Nicknamed The Claw, Leonard possess a hand spread that measures 11.25 inches, which is bigger than Wilt, Shaq or Bill Russell. Menu. Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope are nicknames for Larry Bird. 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 Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. The way you will be building your character will give you a lot of potential badge upgrades under the shooting category. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Small Forward and Power Forward Larry Bird- 6'9 John Stockton - 5 ft 10 Clyde Drexler- 6 ft 5 Chris Mullin- 6 ft 5 The Celtics won their first NBA title with Bird (and 14th overall) in 1981; they repeated with title wins in 1984 and 1986. The following top 15 will look at the most impressive wingspans in NBA history. 4:15 pm ET. Part of the reason, he admits, was his own fatalistic view of what the future would bring. He played both the small forward and power forward positions. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Friday, March 3, 6:45PM. Data Provided By That length helped him become one of the most prolific shot blocker in league history. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". But dont let Birds efficient scoring distract you from the fact that he was proficient in the other aspects of his game. Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. Even when considering his height, the wingspan is still 12.1% larger than his body. His concentration and composure were unrivaled as well, and he established himself as one of the most unshakable and driven players in the NBA. [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. Leonard is only 67, but possess a gigantic 73 wingspan, which is a full 8 inches longer than his height. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 1. 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. He finished his career with sterling averages of 24.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. All Rights Reserved. He is not dating anyone. Redick is 6'4 tall and has a wingspan of 6'3. With at least 10 potential upgrade points, you will have several options for playmaking badges. At 68, Brand is undersized as an NBA power forward, but has made up for it with a giant wingspan that measures 75. 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]. Kareem's father, Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Sr., was fairly tall at 6'2". 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. Rajon Rondo is currently one of the best point guards in the league. Prince will not go down in any record books, but ask some of the games best who the toughest defender they faced is, and Tayshaun Princes name will be be right up there. 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. NBA 2K users have loved playing as Larry Legend not just because of his ability to score from anywhere on the court, but also because of his versatile game. . [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. Davis stands 610, and, at the 2012 pre-draft combine, was measured to have a 75 wing span. Positions: Small forward, power forwardYears Active: 19791992, Drawings include:Larry Bird standing, shooting, dribbling, NBA - National Basketball AssociationWikipedia - Basketball. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice as a playerfirst in 1998 as an individual, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". 3. This ratio is one of the higher percentages for players who have played in the NBA. [43] Boston came back to win the game, eventually winning the series in seven. [73] This style of play was starting to influence a new hoard of fans as they would sit and marvel at what they [Bird and Magic] can do while giving younger kids a different perspective of the game. McHale stood 610 and was reported to have a colossal wingspan that stretched to 80. Dirk can't be 6'10. Larry Bird's wife, Dinah Mattingly, is his high school sweetheart who got engaged and married the former NBA legend in 1989. Pippen used his incredible length to cover the best player on a nightly basis and whether they were a forward or a guard didn't matter, as Pippen had both the size and quickness to match up with anyone.