What did Celtics superstar and one of the NBA’s all-time greats, Larry Bird, do when he hung up his boots 28 years ago?

What did Celtics superstar and one of the NBA’s all-time greats, Larry Bird, do when he hung up his boots 28 years ago?

The legendary NBA player Larry Bird hung up his boots on August 18, 1992, which was 28 years ago.

A phenomenon was Larry Bird. The man known by his stage name “Larry Legend” or “The Hick from French Lick” was an offensive nightmare for opponents. Throughout his playing career, the big forward helped the Boston Celtics reach their greatest level of success. He signed a $3.25 million contract with the Celtics, which at the time was the richest deal ever for a rookie player in sports.

He did not let us down. In the 1983–84 season, Bird’s average of 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game earned him the MVP award. After his team defeated Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers with an average of 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, he was awarded MVP once more. Not only that, but he also scored a franchise- and career-high 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks.

Bird’s ability to dominate the court was uncharacteristic of him. Among his notable accomplishments are:

(i) Twelve-year NBA All-Star

(ii) From 1984 to 1986, received three consecutive MVP votes.

(iii) Bird played for the United States Olympic basketball team, known as the “Dream Team,” which took home the gold in 1992.

In 1998, he received his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bird, an Indiana native, started off for the Sycamores averaging thirty points a game as a sophomore, junior, and senior. His impact was felt almost immediately after joining the Celtics, as he won the NBA championship in just his second season. When the sports world dreamed that the greatest players in history would wear the same uniform for the Olympics—as Bird did with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan—they had their wish.

His illustrious career came to an abrupt end at the age of 35 due to severe persistent back pain. He talked openly about the problems with his back and how they affected his body, according to History, while NBA Commissioner David Stern gave Bird a heartfelt homage. In a nutshell, Larry Bird has contributed to shaping how a new generation of basketball fans views and values the NBA. There will never be another Larry Bird, but great players in the future will be measured by the standards he has established.

Bird’s career was far from over.

Even though he loved to, he might not have taken the field. That didn’t stop him, though, from getting a job with the Celtics as a special assistant upon his retirement in 1992. He moved to coach the Indiana Pacers, a role he was unfamiliar with, after a good five years. However, Bird delivered as usual, helping the Pacers finish the 1997–18 season with a 58–24 record.

He left the position shortly after, concluding his three-year tenure, and joined the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2003. Bird left the role in 2012 due to health concerns and came back the following year. In 2017, he made another call and has since taken on a more advisory position with the Pacers. Very.