Over the years, the NBA has seen many talented superstars flaunt their talents on the court. But not every player can be considered a legend by fans and the media. Well, former Boston Celtics superstar Larry Bird certainly earned that legendary status for his achievements during his playing career.
Bird had a phenomenal record against several NBA legends such as Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas. Looking at Bird’s resume, it was full of great accomplishments. Be it winning MVP trophies or becoming an NBA champion multiple times, Bird achieved it all.
Keeping that in mind, one would think that Larry Bird was blessed with a lot of God-given talents. After all, there is only so far a player can reach with just hard work.
Larry Bird On His God-Given Talents
Sports Illustrated’s old interview with Larry Bird featured the Boston Celtics legend answering a plethora of questions. This included Bird answering what were his God-given talents. And you’d be surprised to know that Bird revealed he had only three talents that fit this criterion.
Via Sports Illustrated Vault:
At 6’9″, Bird,who plays forward, is four inches taller than Robertson, but height would seem to be Bird’s only natural advantage over Robertson or anyone else for that matter. Bird looks like a soft, fleshy adolescent. He is slow as NBA players go, and in the words of an NBA scout—not the only one who thought Bird would be a mediocre pro—he suffers from “white man’s disease.” That is, he can’t jump. How, then, can Bird be so great? “I would say my vision, my court awareness and my height are God-given,” Bird says. “Everything else I’ve worked my a** off for.”
Bird was pretty honest about his God-given talents and believes he worked really hard on other aspects of his game. At the end of the day, with limited talent and a phenomenal work ethic, Bird achieved legendary status.
So much so that the NBA recently named the Eastern Conference MVP award after him. This just goes to prove how respected Bird is within the league for his achievements.
Source: fadeawayworld
