Larry Legend

[BigKAT]

Not a celtics fan or anything, but just learned this surprisingly awesome fact about him.
Dunno if this is worth a thread, but I felt like sharing it with you guys.

Larry bird is the only man in history to be:

1. MVP of the League
2. FMVP
3. Coach of the Year
4. Executive of the Year

GOAT All-Around? (Not as a player, but in all fields)

I mean, he still needs to win a ring off the court, but that's damn impressive.

Edit:
People also mentioned/I forgot
5. Rookie of the Year
6. All Star game MVP
7. GOAT Trash Talker

[Harison]

Bird has GOAT intelligence and is extremely competitive. :bowdown:

[Prime_Shaq]

My second favourite player all-time. Tends to get underrated around here IMO.

[k0kakw0rld]

Missing that DPOY but still :bowdown:

[Psileas]

Not a celtics fan or anything, but just learned this surprisingly awesome fact about him.
Dunno if this is worth a thread, but I felt like sharing it with you guys.

Larry bird is the only man in history to be:

1. MVP of the League
2. FMVP
3. Coach of the Year
4. Executive of the Year

GOAT All-Around? (Not as a player, but in all fields)

I mean, he still needs to win a ring off the court, but that's damn impressive.

Either him or Jerry West (almost GOAT-level player, good coach, GOAT level GM/executive).

[Jasper]

OP forgot Trash talker MVP as well.

[SuperCereal]

Roy (1980)

[sundog67]

GOAT All-Around? (Not as a player, but in all fields)


Gotta agree. Bird is one of a kind, IMO. Plenty of guys have out performed him in quantifiable ways but the combination of skill, determination, and all the various accomplishments are second to none.

When you tie in his upbringing and personal life, its really pretty amazing. Lebron's always talking about how he "shoudn't be here"... Bird's story is no less compelling at the very least, IMO.

[Wally450]

Didn't get to see him play, but easily one of the greatest to ever play the game.

[Zeppelin]

My second favourite player ever on court, and my favourite off it.

[fourkicks44]

National College Player Of The Year.

3 Time Three Point Contest Champion.

[BigKAT]

National College Player Of The Year.

3 Time Three Point Contest Champion.

Man if he wins a ring as an executive they might as well redo the Logo with him. Or gift him a team.

[aj1987]

Man if he wins a ring as an executive they might as well redo the Logo with him. Or gift him a team.
:oldlol: :oldlol:

[Smoke117]

The most skilled basketball player of all time...and he's white. Take this L negros. Watch a bunch of people come in and call me racist now for joking around lol

[mr4speed]

Man if he wins a ring as an executive they might as well redo the Logo with him. Or gift him a team.
Bird also created the 50-40-90 club (was the 1st player to do it) and did it for 2 straight seasons and had the highest ppg at 29.9 until Curry set the bar higher.

[Bankaii]

The most skilled basketball player of all time...and he's white. Take this L negros. Watch a bunch of people come in and call me racist now for joking around lol
All that skill and still not top 5 all time:roll:
racist:)

[BigKAT]

All that skill and still not top 5 all time:roll:
racist:)

Lol.
Top 10 isn't good enough for you?
All time?

Think about how many players played the game.
Besides, a healthy Bird would've looked different achivements wise.
His body really broke down late in his career.

[Bankaii]

Lol.
Top 10 isn't good enough for you?
All time?

Think about how many players played the game.
Besides, a healthy Bird would've looked different achivements wise.
His body really broke down late in his career.
I was just joking with Smoke.
Obviously top 10 of everyone that has ever played basketball is something we can only dream of, so I'd never knock Bird for being it lol.

However, I don't think his GOAT spot would be any different. Even is healthy he'd still be for sure behind MJ, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Russell, Timmy, and Lebron.

[RedBlackAttack]

He is definitely the best ever player/coach/GM combination ever. Some might argue Bill Russell as a better player/coach, but he never got into the front office game.

You have guys like Phil Jackson and ... Isiah Thomas? Joe Dumars?


...has to be Bird.

[Da_Realist]

Jerry West is King Midas.

[Smoke117]

I was just joking with Smoke.
Obviously top 10 of everyone that has ever played basketball is something we can only dream of, so I'd never knock Bird for being it lol.

However, I don't think his GOAT spot would be any different. Even is healthy he'd still be for sure behind MJ, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Russell, Timmy, and Lebron.

I disagree that Magic is greater than Bird...I'd rather have Bird in their respective primes. Tim Duncan is just laughable...it's absurd how overrated this guy has become. Frankly, though, I don't know anyone here or otherwise that has Tim Duncan above Larry Bird...well, besides you now.

[Bankaii]

I disagree that Magic is greater than Bird...I'd rather have Bird in their respective primes. Tim Duncan is just laughable...it's absurd how overrated this guy has become. Frankly, though, I don't know anyone here or otherwise that has Tim Duncan above Larry Bird, besides you now.
If I'm building around one or the other I'd rather have Magic. I guess it's a matter of opinion. Even though Magic is routinely ranked higher.

Duncan>Bird career wise is laughable? Put the bottle down Smoke. Duncan is one of the most impactful defenders of all time while Bird doesn't even come close. Accolade wise Duncan wins, in terms of consistency Duncan wins, Duncan has more rings, more FMVPs, etc. Acting like it isn't close it just crazy.

And I'm pretty sure this forum's GOAT list, although not credible at all, had Duncan over Bird, so it's not just me.

[Prime_Shaq]

I disagree that Magic is greater than Bird...I'd rather have Bird in their respective primes. Tim Duncan is just laughable...it's absurd how overrated this guy has become. Frankly, though, I don't know anyone here or otherwise that has Tim Duncan above Larry Bird...well, besides you now.
Magic certainly had the greater career than Bird but Bird was a better individual player IMO

[Smoke117]

If I'm building around one or the other I'd rather have Magic. I guess it's a matter of opinion. Even though Magic is routinely ranked higher.

Duncan>Bird career wise is laughable? Put the bottle down Smoke. Duncan is one of the most impactful defenders of all time while Bird doesn't even come close. Accolade wise Duncan wins, in terms of consistency Duncan wins, Duncan has more rings, more FMVPs, etc. Acting like it isn't close it just crazy.

And I'm pretty sure this forum's GOAT list, although not credible at all, had Duncan over Bird, so it's not just me.

What? Larry Bird won the MVP three times in a row...nobody has done that since him. There is nobody that would take Tim Duncan over Larry bird prime vs prime...NOBODY. And how exactly was Tim Duncan more consistent. Bringing up rings is also a joke considering the competition was much better in Birds time. One of those rings and FMVP came from the 99 season...I don't really believe in asterisks, but the Spurs were basically the only team during the lockout who were actually getting together and practicing on their own, so they had a huge advantage over everyone else. The Knicks and Nets are completely laughable finals opponents compared to what the Celtics were facing.

[tpols]

The most skilled basketball player of all time...and he's white.

well.. that's an anticlimactic statement if I ever seen one.

[Bankaii]

What? Larry Bird won the MVP three times in a row...nobody has done that since him. There is nobody that would take Tim Duncan over Larry bird prime vs prime...NOBODY. And how exactly was Tim Duncan more consistent. Bringing up rings is also a joke considering the competition was much better in Birds time. One of those rings and FMVP came from the 99 season...I don't really believe in asterisks, but the Spurs were basically the only team during the lockout who were actually getting together and practicing on their own, so they had a huge advantage over everyone else. The Knicks and Nets are completely laughable finals opponents compared to what the Celtics were facing.
We aren't talking prime for prime we're talking about careers. Duncan has the better CAREER, in terms of raw accolades, longevity, All-NBA teams, All-D teams, rings, FMVPs, etc.

And are just supposed to throw Duncan's rings out then? Yea the Lakers were better than what the 2000s East was putting out for the most part but if we're going to be that critical the Russell's rings shouldn't put him anywhere near the top 5, yet he gets GOAT talks. Plus I'm not picking Duncan specifically on ring count.

[tpols]

What? Larry Bird won the MVP three times in a row...nobody has done that since him. There is nobody that would take Tim Duncan over Larry bird prime vs prime...NOBODY. And how exactly was Tim Duncan more consistent. Bringing up rings is also a joke considering the competition was much better in Birds time. One of those rings and FMVP came from the 99 season...I don't really believe in asterisks, but the Spurs were basically the only team during the lockout who were actually getting together and practicing on their own, so they had a huge advantage over everyone else. The Knicks and Nets are completely laughable finals opponents compared to what the Celtics were facing.

Your being silly smoke .. Duncan had to contend with stacked Lakers mavs suns thunder heat etc. You wanna knock Duncan, competition is the wrong way to go about it.

[RedBlackAttack]

Jerry West is King Midas.
Completely slipped my mind. He's right there. He follows the criteria, too... elite player, coach and elite GM.

[Lebronxrings]

The most skilled basketball player of all time...and he's white. Take this L negros. Watch a bunch of people come in and call me racist now for joking around lol
huh ? You realize black people dominate whites in this sport right? Keep that L bro.

[BigKAT]

Completely slipped my mind. He's right there. He follows the criteria, too... elite player, coach and elite GM.


Can you believe Jerry West never won an MVP for the Regular Season?
And the one FMVP he won was in a losing effort.

[MiseryCityTexas]

I disagree that Magic is greater than Bird...I'd rather have Bird in their respective primes. Tim Duncan is just laughable...it's absurd how overrated this guy has become. Frankly, though, I don't know anyone here or otherwise that has Tim Duncan above Larry Bird...well, besides you now.


FOH....:facepalm

[Da_Realist]

Can you believe Jerry West never won an MVP for the Regular Season?
And the one FMVP he won was in a losing effort.

Jerry West's life impact has had more effect on the NBA than anyone ever. Maybe someone else was a better player or coach or tv analyst but when you look at the overall package, no one has had a more lasting impact than Jerry West. How appropriate that he is the logo!

[Psileas]

Can you believe Jerry West never won an MVP for the Regular Season?
And the one FMVP he won was in a losing effort.

He was a 4 time runner up though, usually to GOAT candidates. And, to be honest, he had a better chance of winning the F.MVP in '69 than in '72, anyway.

Btw, I was the first to mention West.

[antonAC]

I agree with the assessment of Bird that he would have actually been greater had he shot the 3 more. yeah, he was playing in a time where it wasn't done to jack up a ton of 3s a game but Bird was supposed to be one of the best shooters in the league and had a huge basketball IQ.

for me he's definitely below Lebron, Magic etc, but I would have put him above them had he been attempting double the amount of 3s he did (on the assumption he'd still knock them down with the same efficiency).

[Mayday Malone]

Duncan over Bird? :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :facepalm

What has Duncan ever done in comparison to Bird, as far influence on the league is concerned? The guy couldn't even beat Camby when he was playing for Wake Forest. I watched that game, the guy was shocked another guy on the floor was better than him.
He lucked into a great franchise, with Robinson, Ginobili, and Parker. Bird made his guys. How do you think Timmy would do against a scrub like Jabaar? Parrish was nothing before Larry got ahold of him. McHale? He would have killed him with the fakes.
Never mind the rest of the league. Olajuwon? Jordan? Barkley would have absolutely beaten him to death. The Bad Boys? What would give you any idea that Timmy could stop any of them? Pippen and Grant/Rodman would have buried him.

Stop celebrating a guy that just stood in the lane for his entire career and did nothing but watch his teammates earn rings the easy way.

I'd love to see one highlight compilation of Timmy's that last more than 5 minutes, and then compare those to Larry's.

Let me get this straight, once and for all, a guy that faced none of the top ten, at all, is above the guy considered by most before he won three straight MVP's, to be the best that ever played? Who also won the collegiate Player of the Year, and the Rookie of the Year to boot? A guy that, if I'm correct, faced Jordan, Magic, Olajuwon, Wilkins, Thomas, etc... I could go on, but I think I've made myself perfectly clear.

One guy was begged to be an original member of the Dream Team, because it meant so much to basketball. The other guy would still be swimming for it weren't for Larry Bird.

Shut that stupid argument for Duncan over Bird down right now. There is absolutely no case that Duncan has a precedence over Bird, Duncan could never even respect the game the way that Larry can, let alone play it. Larry Bird would kill Tim Duncan. There is no doubt in my mind about this. You might as well put Moses Malone ahead of Larry too. Considering the fact that you all want to forget the fact that Larry ate his lunch too.