Larry Bird is one of the three players, alongside Magic Johnson and later Michael Jordan, credited with saving the NBA and turning it into how brilliant it is today. The Boston Celtics legend gained worldwide fame for his incredible play, and it led to some epic stories.
In 1992, Larry Bird was essentially at the end of his career. But he was still a part of the Dream Team, and fans wanted to watch him play. It would seem that referees did too, and he recounted a particularly funny incident in his book, Bird Watching.
“In one of those games, I was in my usual spot on the floor when this Latin American official ran by our bench,” Bird recounted. “I hadn’t played all game, and as he ran by, he said, ‘Mr. Bird, Mr. Bird, please, you must come into the game.’ I was looking at him, wondering what he was talking about. He said, ‘I must be able to tell my family that I refereed a game in which the great Larry Bird was playing.’
“Of course, it was my luck Magic [Johnson] and Michael [Jordan] were sitting on the bench with me at the time,” the living legend continued. “Next thing I know, they’re pulling off my warm-up jersey and telling Chuck Daly to get me in there.”
Larry Bird didn’t specify which game this happened during, but he played in 2 games during those Olympics for Team USA. While he wasn’t able to do too much, he still scored 19 points in his two appearances, so hopefully, that referee got what he was looking for.
Larry Bird And Magic Johnson Got Closer To Michael Jordan During Their Time With The Dream Team
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominated the NBA in the 1980s, no one came close to them. But by the time 1992 rolled around, Michael Jordan was in the ascendancy and had become the undisputed best player in the league. Even though MJ revealed that he had his issues with the two other legends, they grew closer during their time with the Dream Team.
There are iconic photos of Michael Jordan playing ping pong while Larry Bird chills in the background. And the banter he had with them has been shared with fans as well. It was a truly special time for the basketball world when all these legends were able to showcase their talents on the same team.
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