[10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. At the very least, he's as tall as players listed at 6'9. Nicknamed " the Hick from French Lick " and " Larry Legend ", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. To help you with the boards, you can upgrade the Rebound Chaser badge. He was one of the best shot blockers in NBA history and a lot of that, obviously, had to do with the enormous wingspan. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". [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. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. By going for a shooting plus defense/rebounding build, you will have a two-way player at your disposal. 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. 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. Charles Barkley was measured at 6 ft 4 5/8, Jordan is anywhere from 6 ft 4 to 6 ft 4 1/2. [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. 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. Kahit sa imports coming into the PBA, after the official measurement, they are suddenly 2 inches shorter, heee. 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 a great post scorer and could dominate the paint like a big man. [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. He was a great post scorer and could dominate the paint like a big man. Learn more and register. "She hates it when I say that. 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. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). These include Blinders and Deadeye. To help you operate in the lane, this guide discusses the most effective post moves in NBA 2K22. Following his junior year, Bird was selected with the sixth overall pick in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He played most of his career with forward Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish, considered by some to be the greatest front court in NBA history. Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. Dinah Mattingly (1989-Present) - Larry Bird married his second wife Dinah Mattingly in 1989. With proper medication, exercise and diet, atrial fibrillation can be controlled, but Bird abhorred medication and was prone to skipping his pills. The Hick from the French Lick has got yellow-toned tan skin. Pippen could pass like a point guard, rebound like a power forward, and score like a shooting guard. 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. Bird also led the Celtics in rebounding, with an average of 10.4 per game, as well as in steals and minutes played. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. Answer (1 of 14): Jordan supposedly being shorter than his listed 6'6 NBA height is not unfounded, as he was listed at 6'4 for the 1992 Olympics. An elite wingspan is considered as a measurement that is 6.5% greater than the players height. Data Provided By He made the All-Star team 12 times and was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1982. 2021 Dimensions.com |All rights reserved, For 2D Downloads of this element, upgrade to a Dimensions Pro Membership. [9] He has four brothers and a sister. 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. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: Howard has used that wingspan to become an elite rebounder and shot blocker. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. Rebound Chaser Raises the players ability to track down rebounds from farther distances than normal. 3940. For these reasons, the other badges you should consider upgrading are Bullet Passer, Post Playmaker, and Special Delivery. It seems like Leonard is only starting to scratch the surface of what he can do with such freaky physical attributes. Bird has been married to Dinah Mattingly since 1989. Clutch Shooter Shot attempts made during the final moments of the fourth quarter or overtime receive a large boost. [99] He sometimes practiced shooting three-point shots with his eyes closed. The couple . 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. Join our newsletter! And it went down to the last shot of the 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. [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. 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. Bird, Johnson, Michael Jordan and other NBA stars formed the American men's basketball team, which would become known as the "Dream Team." Oops! The average NBA player will have a wingspan 4 inches greater than his height. 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. 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. [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. Nicknamed The Claw, Leonard possess a hand spread that measures 11.25 inches, which is bigger than Wilt, Shaq or Bill Russell. Sign in or Register to join the conversations! [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. 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" 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. Bird had an uncanny ability of reading and anticipating opponents passes that helped him record 1.7 steals per game throughout his career. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nba | pageType: stories | 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. 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 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. [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. Mourning has the most blocks in NBA history for a player under 70 feet tall with 2,356 (11th on the all-time list). 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. He finished his career with sterling averages of 24.6 points and 10 rebounds per game. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. I've not seen that much of Chrichton reallycompared to seeing Bird, who can look taller than his listing at times. [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. [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. Kevin McHale has gone down as one of the 50 best NBA players of all time, and is probably the best example in NBA history of how length can be used to dominate on both ends of the court. [47], During the 1985 offseason, Bird injured his back shoveling crushed rock to create a driveway at his mother's house. 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. Corner Specialist Three-point shots taken near the baseline off the dribble or a pass are given a percentage boost. Many NBA bigs, including Larry Bird and Bill Walton, believe there's a negative relationship between height and longevity. [19][20] Indiana State lost the game 7564, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots. According to our Database, He has no children. In his final three seasons with the Celtics, Bird averaged over 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists per game, shot better than 45% from the field, and led the Celtics to playoff appearances. All Rights Reserved. 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. Biyombo has been playing center for Charlotte over the course of the past 3 years, and at 69, is one of the smaller centers in the league, but the wingspan more than makes up for the height deficiency. Brand was a great post defender and shot blocker, as he averaged 2 blocks a game from 2001-2008. Part of the reason, he admits, was his own fatalistic view of what the future would bring. [3], Bird scored 24.3 points per game in his career on a .496 field goal percentage, an .886 free throw percentage, and a .376 percentage on three-point shots. As the big three start to fade out in San Antonio, Leonard will become the face of the franchise. inWest Baden,Indiana You can use it on Post Spin Technician to allow your player to be more effective inside the paint. Because as previously discussed, Bird was an outstanding shooter. So much so, that Charles Barkley even admitted that he wasn't 6'6, but . Larry Bird made at least $25,870,000 playing professional basketball. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! As for the weight, you can lower it by one pound (219 lbs) to give your player an additional point in acceleration. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages. Thus, you have to upgrade the Break Starter badge. Same with Amare who's listed at 6'10 but measured at 6'8 1/2. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. The average modern human being is said to have a wingspan 2 inches greater than his height. 1. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. He says they build their hearts up so much that when they retire, the hearts just sit there. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The two adopted a son and daughter, Conner and Mariah. He is also the youngest player to reach 1,000 rebounds, and each benchmark from that point through to 9,000 rebounds. Rondo also poses very large hands at 9.5 inches long, and 10 inches wide. 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. 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. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). 4:15 pm ET. The dramatic play saved the series for the Celtics. Then you have a player like Dwyane Wade who is 65, but has a wingspan of 610. His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. [114] Bird resigned his head coaching position shortly after the end of the 2000 season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. LAST ATTENDED. To advance the ball down the court, players must bounce the ball (dribble) or pass it to a teammate. .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. His length gives nightmares to the NBAs best on a nightly basis as he would be frustrating the likes of Kobe, Melo, and LeBron. Durant is a prime example that elite length, when combined with elite skills, make a truly special player. He has seen his points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and field goal percentage increase in each of his first three seasons in the league. Rajon Rondo's length at the point guard position makes him a one of a kind player. 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. [93][94][95] In October 2021, as part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary, Bird was honored as one of the 75 greatest players of all time, by being named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. Larry Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game. So, when selecting a physical profile for your player, I suggest choosing the combination of strength and agility. [42] Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. That is 4x the amount of time it took Bol to put up roughly the same amount of blocks. Scottie Pippen is one of the most versatile players in NBA history. [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". "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. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Tayshaun Prince broke out in the Detroit Pistons championship run of 2004. With his added length, Durant is able to get the ball in a position that is very hard to defend. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Great wingspan measurements comes from players of all heights. Wilt Chamberlain is part of many extraordinary tales and finding accurate data on the legendary big man is no small feat. Available in 3DM (Rhino), OBJ (NURB), SKP(Sketchup)formats, Dimensions.com is a project by Fantastic Offense, Dimensions is a project by Fantastic Offense. [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. Larry Bird DraftExpress Profile: scouting reports, videos, stats and logs. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Redick is 6'4 tall and has a wingspan of 6'3. Rajon Rondo is currently one of the best point guards in the league. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. But I recommend opting for defense/rebounding instead. The smallest report records it at 78, while the largest account has it at 84 inches. Anthony Davis is one of the leagues biggest stars. he's at least 2 inches taller than duncan. That would have been a 17% increase on his height. Larry Bird's wingspan is 86.9 inches. Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. Of course, there are some who prefer using a player based on his archrival, Magic Johnson. 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. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. Bird stands 6-foot-9, and his listed weight during his playing days was 220 lbs. To put that in perspective, his hands are larger than that of LeBron James. The following top 15 will look at the most impressive wingspans in NBA history. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. 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). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. [102] Bird's humble roots were the source of his most frequently used moniker, "The Hick from French Lick". [21] Boston advanced through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Lakers, this time losing in six games. Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. 2. However, I suggest going for Spot Up Shooter. Larry Bird played the small forward and power forward positions at a height of 6'9" (2. . Wade is measure at 6 ft 3 3/4 Barefeet and he is also the same height as Kobe Bryant. With Wilt being the most dominant force of his era, it lends to the theory that his wingspan was truly elite. One of those things was being a relentless defender. Shooting badges will allow you to convert more field goal attempts from anywhere outside the key. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. Because that was usually how the Hall of Famer took over games. [133], Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989. And TMac is easily 6'8 or 6'9. He stood 6 feet, 11.25 inches tall, with a wingspan of 7 inches, 5.25 inches, and possessed the Combine's longest hands at 10 inches. Or write about sports? 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.