Larry Bird played his last few seasons in the NBA with debilitating back injuries. His love for the game had him coming back, but he knew he was done after the 1992 Olympics.
So when the chance came to retire, Bird ensured he retired before the Celtics would owe him $4.5 million for another year on his contract. Bill Bradley told the story in an ESPN documentary about Larry Legend.
(35:45) “He had a clause in his contract that said, if he didn’t retire by August 15th, he would have an automatic renewal of his contract for $4.5 million a year. On August 12th, he came into Dave Gavitt’s office, President of the Celtics, and said said ‘Dave, I can’t do it. My back’s too bad, I’m going to retire.’ Gavitt said to him, ‘Larry why don’t you think about it for a week?’ Bird narrowed his eyes and looked at him and said, ‘I know what day this is and if I’m not going to play, I’m not going to take the money’.”
Larry Bird had one of the greatest careers in NBA history and left behind a legacy that players in the league are still trying to replicate. Some have succeeded, but most have fallen way short of the mark.
Did Larry Bird Retire Too Early?
A 13-year NBA career is pretty long but superstars can often enjoy far more years in the league, even during that era. The reality is that Bird played in an era where the game was rougher and load management wasn’t a thing. His back became far too much of a problem for him to continue playing at the level fans and he himself expected to perform at. Not without serious compromises in his day-to-day life.
In his 13 years, he was a 12-time All-Star, missing out only in the 1989 All-Star Game due to injury. He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists over his career which spanned over 800 regular season games. He played 164 playoff games and won three championships in Boston. The 3-time regular season MVP had enough accolades to last him a lifetime, so it’s good that he retired before his body was seriously damaged on the court.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
