Even so, Larry Bird never supported Boston teams….
While many NBA fans consider Larry Bird to be one of the greatest players of all time, his mythology in Boston goes much beyond that. Throughout his illustrious professional playing career, Bird remained a Celtic and won three NBA titles for the city. He also won three MVP awards. As a shooter, he was truly exceptional, and his rivalry with Magic Johnson is credited with helping to rekindle public interest in the NBA.
Although he is connected to Boston, Bird is not a native of the city. As implied by his moniker, “The Hick from French Lick,” Bird attended Indiana State University after growing up in French Lick, Indiana. Following his retirement, Bird rejoined the Indiana Pacers as a coach, where he would serve as an executive until 2017. Although Bird considers Indiana to be home, his time in Boston caused his name to become closely associated with the city and the Celtics.
In a 2015 interview with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, Bird disclosed that although we had grown up rooting just for Indiana’s teams, his commitments had expanded during his career. Larry Legend clarified that he couldn’t bring himself to cheer against the Celtics, or any other Boston team, even as an executive facing off against them.
One of the most heartwarming tales of how sports unite people is Bird’s love affair with Boston and its supporters. Since Bird started his association with Boston, the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics have all won numerous titles, therefore his time spent cheering on his teams has also been successful. Few players have as much of a particular bond with the community in which they played as did Bird, and it continues to be a testament to the finest legacy that a sportsman can have.
