Born in the town of West Baden Springs, Indiana on December 7, 1956 Larry Joe Bird was destined to be a basketball legend from a very early age.
Born Lawrence Joseph Bird to a hard-working Midwest Indiana farming community family, Larry shot up in junior high to a towering height of a man-child at 6’7” before he made it to his sophomore year in high school.
Not that this Bird needed any more help on the skill level with an additional 2 inches to top off at a towering six-foot 9 inches but that’s exactly how tall this young bird grew to as he entered his freshman year at Indiana State University.
Breaking into the 80’s
To understand the impact that Larry Bird has had on the game of basketballone only has to think back to the decade of the 1980’s and the professionalbasketball game and notice just how many highflying slam-dunk artists with moves like oil on glass and the ability to leap out of most gymnasiums, to see that Bird was one of a kind.
What Larry Bird gave to the game of basketball was more than just one of the best role models for young aspiring basketball players to follow but also a textbook sampling of how to play the game both offensively and defensively.
The essence of Larry Bird can be seen all across the basketball courts of the United States from backyard hoops to young dreaming of the pro ranksbasketball players in courts everywhere in this great nation.
Larry Bird was the hero for so many working-class average-skilled basketballplayers regardless of color or where the family winds up at economically speaking. If you were slow but had a penchant for great defense and was a team player with a few offenses tricks and skills of your own combined with a do not give up attitude then Larry Bird was your type of basketball player.
Fascinating and Thrilling
What Larry Bird gave to the game of basketball was more than just fascinating and thrilling World Championship-caliber professional basketballplay with the Boston Celtics it was a never ending shot in the arm for players everywhere. Some of the greatest basketball players of all time have looked back to Bird and have acknowledged his style of play and his tenacity and passion for the game of basketball as their guiding force for turning pro against all odds.
From high-scoring high flying Michael Jordan to defensive-stopper David Robinson most 22 to35 year old National Basketball Association professionalplayers cite Larry Bird and his passion for the game of basketball as big factors in them playing in the NBA today.
Importance of Good Defense and Inspired Play Game after GameLarry Bird turned a the attention of the basketball game and shed some light on the importance of good defense and inspired play game after game night after night to a new dimension of basketball fans and players alike.
The 80’s were filled with supersonic thunder-dunking players such as Moses Malone, Darryl Dawkins, Julius Erving and Michael Jordan while the fans of Larry Bird could celebrate World Championships and fantastic solid play of thegame of basketball being portrayed by their French Lick Legend.
The game within a game such as Bird would profess of when speaking about his own game was the mental edge that made average players into superstardom National Basketball Association legends such as Larry the Legend Bird. Larry brought to the game of basketball both honor and a commitment to winning that few that have ever put on any of the team colors of the National Basketball Association or NBA will.
Return from Larry Bird and His Impact on Game of Basketball to Other Basketball Articles
Return from Larry Bird and His Impact on Game of Basketball to Best Basketball Tips