NBA — The moment Larry Bird bowed before Kobe Bryant

NBA — The moment Larry Bird bowed before Kobe Bryant.

Larry Bird is not particularly known for his compliments, despite his talent and reserved demeanor. But in his view, a certain Kobe Bryant gained favor, and as a result, the Celtics legend had to yield to the Mamba.

Legends of the past frequently have a tacit regard for one another that is understood to exist even when it is not stated out loud. This was especially true for Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird, two of the greatest names in sports history. By breaking the taboo of the Lakers/Celtics rivalry to commend Larry Legend, the Mamba took the lead in 2013:

I firmly believe that people forget how amazing Larry Bird was as time passes. He truly was incredible. And like everyone else here, I detested him growing up in Los Angeles. But really, this individual was just the vault’s cash.

Larry Bird did the same a few years later, but he’s not exactly known for his flower-throwing tendencies. Boston’s immortal number 33 highlighted something very unique and very important to him during a conversation with Bill Simmons: toughness, or courage in the face of adversity. His remarks are forceful:

Basketball playoffs are different in that there is no time for rest. I’ve participated in more than two years’ worth of playoffs combined, so when your body gets just 2.5 months of summertime recuperation before the next season begins, you could believe you’re better than you actually are. And over the course of a career, it keeps building up.

One of the strongest people I’ve ever seen is Kobe, for instance. I understand what he went through since I experienced the same thing. Additionally, during his career, he played a lot more minutes than I did. In the end, he came to terms with it and told himself, “Yes, I will injure myself and get hurt; I just need to figure out how to play through the pain.” And a great player thinks like that.

Bird and Bryant can contend for the title of toughest person. Larry Legend has always chosen to disregard the pain and warning indications from his body, which has cost him dearly in the shape of a wasted career.

For his part, Kobe has consistently persevered in the face of discomfort; nobody has forgotten his two free shots following an Achilles tendon rupture, for instance. An incredible history for the two men, whose resilient side is regrettably lost in the NBA of today.