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February 4, 1993: #33 climbs into the Garden rafters. Three titles, three straight MVPs, and the most famous trash talk in basketball — Larry Bird was too slow to be this good, and was this good anyway.
Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
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Boston Celtics
1979-1992
Featured Achievements
3x NBA Champion
3 ringsWon 3 championships with the Celtics (1981, 1984, 1986).
3x NBA MVP
3x consecutiveWon 3 consecutive MVPs (1984, 1985, 1986) — only the 3rd player to do so.
Bird-Magic Rivalry
Cultural ImpactHis rivalry with Magic Johnson is credited with saving the NBA in the 1980s and creating the modern league.
#10 All-Time Triple-Doubles Leader
59 triple-doublesCareer Earnings
~$24M
Estimated total NBA career salary
Endorsements
Converse
Signature Larry Bird shoe line
1986-1993
McDonald's
Iconic 'Nothing But Net' commercial with Michael Jordan
1993
Miller Lite
National TV commercial campaigns
1990s
1986-87
| Season | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | 74 | 28.1 | 9.2 | 7.6 | 52.5% | 40.0% |
| 1985-86 | 82 | 25.8 | 9.8 | 6.8 | 49.6% | 42.3% |
| 1984-85 | 80 | 28.7 | 10.5 | 6.6 | 52.2% | 42.7% |
Larry Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game across his NBA career — numbers that make him one of the few players in history to rank in the top five all-time in scoring average at his position while also averaging double figures in rebounds and six assists per game. Those statistics describe a player who did everything that mattered in a basketball game, and did it from the small forward position at a time when small forwards were expected to do one thing well.
His three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 through 1986 remain one of the most sustained individual achievements in league history. The 1984-85 season was his peak statistical year: 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 52.2 percent shooting, with 42.7 percent from three. He had just won his second championship, his second Finals MVP, and his second league MVP. He was the most valuable player in basketball and had three of the four skills — shooting, rebounding, passing, and defending — at a level that contemporaries could not match.
His rivalry with Magic Johnson began in the 1979 NCAA Championship game, when Bird's Indiana State team lost to Johnson's Michigan State. The rivalry extended through the 1980s as Bird's Boston Celtics and Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers traded championships with a regularity that made the Finals a two-team competition for the decade. The rivalry is credited by league historians with restoring the NBA's commercial standing after the league had struggled through the 1970s with declining attendance and television ratings that led to Finals games being aired on tape delay.
Bird grew up in French Lick, Indiana, played at Indiana State University, and spent his entire 13-year professional career with the Boston Celtics. Back injuries ended his playing career in 1992. He later coached the Indiana Pacers to the 1998 NBA Finals and earned Coach of the Year honors.
Personal Life & Family
Partner
Dinah Mattingly
Children (2)
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Did You Know?
Grew up in severe poverty in French Lick, Indiana — a tiny town of about 2,000 people. His upbringing shaped his legendary work ethic.
His father Joe committed suicide when Larry was 19, a tragedy that deeply affected him but also fueled his drive.
Won the first three NBA Three-Point Contests (1986-88) and famously asked competitors "Which one of you is finishing second?" before it started.
Is extremely private despite his fame — rarely does interviews and has largely stayed out of the public eye since retiring.
Originally enrolled at Indiana University under Bob Knight but left within weeks because he felt overwhelmed by the big campus.
Career Honors
3x NBA Champion
2x Finals MVP
3x NBA MVP (consecutive)
12x All-Star
3x Three-Point Contest Champion
Official Jerseys
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1999.99
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2x Finals MVP
12x NBA All-Star
12xNBA 75th Anniversary Team
Top 75
