“If I had to choose a player to take a final shot to win a game I'd choose (Michael) Jordan, but if I could pick one to shoot to save my life I would pick Bird.” - Pat Riley

When Magic Johnson was first diagnosed positive with HIV. Bird was the first person to called Magic and ask him how's he was and if he needed anything. That just to show you what kind of person Larry was.

Everyone feared bird. He would tell the whole opposing team what he was gonna do and dare them to try to stop him. The man, the myth, the legend larry

When Larry came back from the locker room he had a fractured cheekbone, a concussion and double vision. LEGENDARY

You gotta watch a video just on Larry’s trashtalk stories. He’s the most notorious of all time.

Larry Bird was one of a kind. I had the pleasure of being a fan and seeing him in his prime.

It should be noted here, when Larry fell and smacked his face on that hardwood floor, he fractured his right cheekbone and when he came back out he had a concussion and double vision - and he was STILL dropping buckets and brought them back to win the game. Larry is a bonafide LEGEND.

Larry Bird was the greatest player of his generation. He was also that guy that made everyone around him better. Dude was just as selfless as he was ruthless. I grew up hating what he did to my home team but also admiring him as a player. One of the guys that must be brought up when discussing the all time greatest players of all time.

Larry Legend. One of the most ruthless and all around skilled dudes to ever play ball. There is no argument.

Larry Bird is a guy everyone knows was good, but almost no one remembers how good. When they finally see it, they get it. Dude was arguably the GOAT.

he and magic literally saved the NBA. from taped delayed Finals to what we have today. then MJ took it to the stratosphere. love the variety of reactions!

It brings me to tears watching these clips. It reminds me of my childhood and how lucky I was to have witnessed Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and so many more great players. And even tho it's not basketball I got to witness Iron Mike Tyson and I won't get started on the NFL greats What a time to be alive

The '92 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team was the "Dream Team". Larry, Magic, Michael, etc was arguably the greatest team ever assembled. It was the first time the US sent NBA players to the Olympics. That team created young fans all over Europe and some grew up to play in the NBA!

Nobody had a bigger heart than larry bird. He was the smartest player to ever play. He never quit and he was always a team player. LARRY LARRY LARRY !

Michael Jordan said “People ask me who my top 5 are. I say ‘Larry-‘ and they interrupt me. ‘You’re starting with Larry? What about LeBron?’ I say ‘You guys just don’t get it. Larry Bird is by far the best small forward ever to play the game.’” So to answer where he fits on a tier list, most people undervalue him because they don’t divide total stats by years played. Larry only played 13 years, so his stats are twice as powerful as someone who played for 26. Even with the underestimation, he makes everybody’s top ten, pretty much. If people factor in what the pros think (ESPN polled 20 of the greats, who is better, Larry or LeBron? The result was 14.5 - 2.5, with three abstaining, in favor of Bird), they typically place him top 5. The people I see who consider the stats per year average place him second behind MJ, for the most part. One guy who’s been running around the KZfaq comments, though, would put Wilt at first, then MJ, then Bird. Being from Indiana (and my mom knew a guy who went to high school in French Lick with Larry), I still go MJ, Bird, Wilt, Magic, and I don’t really know the newer game (I stopped watching basketball after the Dream Team. I knew it was all downhill from there), so I’m going to reserve slot five for the best of the current age, whoever you guys (comments) think that is. Probably LeBron, from what I’ve seen of how highly rated people think he is, putting him in the “GOAT” talks with MJ, even though MJ doesn’t think LeBron is close to Bird’s status.

Larry Bird doesn't get talked about as much as he should bird vs magic was best years

Bird and Magic saved the NBA. They were the biggest rivals and ultimately became best of friends!

Larry Bird was not only supremely talented he was hands down the most clutch player ever. HOF coach Pat Riley of the Lakers said " If I needed a shot to win the game I'd choose Michael Jordan, but if I needed someone to make a shot to save my life I'd choose Larry

Watching Bird throughout the 80s it was every bit as good as you can imagine.

He had the best basketball IQ of anyone ever. He knew where everyone was on the court, and played ahead of others because of it. I love to watch him play, making a basket or missing. Just fun.

If you delve a bit into Larry's full career.. once he retired from BB he became a head coach of a BB team awarded coach of the year and then became a manager of a team, named executive of the year. That in itself shows how intelligent he was and how he was top for understanding the game. Great reaction!

Hi guys. Loved your reaction. I grew up in Boston during the 80s. Fun Bird story that sadly I cannot find the footage of anywhere. It was a regular season game at Cleveland. During Half Time while both teams are in their locker rooms, a fan is given a chance to shoot the ball from half court. If they make a basket, they won a chunk of money. The competition was over and the Cleveland ball boys were moving the rack of 6 basketballs off the court as the Celtics were coming back out from their locker room. As the TV commentators were finishing up their half time comments on the game thus far, behind them, on the court the TV cameras picked up Bird as he halted the ball boys at half court. He grabbed a ball, turned and faced the basket down by the Cleveland bench and shot it from half court. Swish! The fans applauded. Bird took the second ball. Shot it. Swish! Ooohs and aahhhs from the fans. A third ball. Swish! At this point the TV commentators even stopped and turned their attention to Bird. The Cleveland fans were standing now, cheering. Sure enough, he drained the ball rack -- all six balls from half court went through the net. He returned to the Celtics bench amid a wild standing ovation while the Cavaliers just stood there. I'll never forget Gil Santos, the Celtics' play-by-play announcer declaring: "If you're the Cleveland Cavaliers, whatever plan you came out of that locker room with just went up in smoke."

If you ever want to know where a player ranks in the ever evolving list of "the greats", all you need do is see who the other greats name-drop. Bird is on all of their lists, near as I can tell.

Bird definitely in the top 10, arguably in the top 5

Larry Bird has my ultimate respect. I am older, so I watched him through the 80s and 90s as a Pistons' fan. His father, who worked 12-hour shifts through injuries, taught Larry at a young age how to work through injuries. His father, Joe Bird, sadly killed himself when Larry was 19. The Celtics almost didn't sign Larry, who suffered a hand injury playing sports with his brother. Larry proved to the organization that he was worth signing, and after some hesitation, the Celtics drafted him. Imagine the player Bird could have been if not for the knuckle injury. My God, players today whine about the least injury and complain if they have to play injured. Not Larry. He was true to the values he witnessed growing up and always said his work ethic was a tribute to his father.

One of the funniest things about Larry Bird was how pissed they say he got when they put another white guy on him, to defend him. He took it as an insult.

I'm legit in tears re-watching the bird retirement clip. Gives me goosebumps every time.

Speaking of his selflessness, his tendency to play hurt is what led to him retiring when he did, after just 13 seasons. At his peak though, he was virtually unguardable, and along with Magic he literally saved the league from going under.

Larry Legend will be in most people's top 5 all-time somewhere. Endless stories that if not documented you would think are lies, absolute basketball genius.

I'm an old man! I watched Bird through his entire career including College. He refused to lose. Greatest White player to ever play, maybe the best player ever! Because of him the Boston Celtics put together a group of players that dominated Pro Basketball for years and years.

Bird's first pro coach nicknamed him "Kodak" because he seemed to take a mental picture of the court, knowing where everyone was at all times. You saw some of that in those clips. His anticipation was superb.

Great story: Game's tied with seconds left. Everyone (including the Celtics) are expecting a mid-range/close shot to tie it and send the game to overtime. Meanwhile: Bird is talking trash to the opponent bench, saying "yeah, thinking I'm gonna bust a 3 and get out of here"... THEN DID IT. Literally told them he was going for the win and what he was gonna do and they couldn't stop him.

This is probably my favorite individual highlight reel, and I say that as a Lakers fan who grew up idolizing Magic Johnson. I kind of feel dirty typing that, but it's the truth. Larry was just a genius. And with that said, if you enjoyed Bird's passing, you need to check out Magic's clip next. Nobody has ever run the fast break like he did. As for where Bird ranks among the great, his specific spot probably comes down to your individual tastes and opinion, but he's absolutely a consensus Top 10 player in history.

That retirement clip of Larry was not after a basketball game. That was a singular event that filled the garden with fans of Larry Bird and the Celtics. Magic and Larry played basketball in college against each other and their mirrors careers on their respective teams were amazing. And during their time, they became great friends, while they were rivals. You can see some great clips of interviews that they have done together over the years. The dream team was in '92.

Bird is on the mount rushmore of all time greats. You add magic and jordan then whoever you want as the 4th

It's FANTASTIC (old 80's NBA commercial) watching you gentlemen react to the LEGEND of Larry Bird!! You can tell that you guys get it, along with your other videos!! Keep up the GREAT, ENTERTAINING, TRUTH TELLING videos 🤙! MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT!!

Larry is the best shooter of all time that rainbow is legendary

He also played the back half of his career with massive structural damage to his spine. One of the toughest players in history, and had he stayed in his prime longer, who knows, he could've expanded his already incredible legacy. Great reaction, love seeing people exposed to sports legends for the first time! Definitely do magic next 👍

Love this video! Bird and Magic really respected each other. They both would probably be even better with todays nba rules.

Absolutely brilliant reaction gentleman! For a greater look at Bird (and other contenders for bb goat), find "Making the case" series on line. You will find Bird and a few others.

Great reaction. Liked. The thing that made Bird's trashtalk legendary is he backed it up. He'd tell the defender what he was going to do before he did it...Then he'd do it. There are a few videos on KZfaq about his trashtalk, told by the guys he trashtalked. They are pretty funny & amazing at the same time.

You have got to watch the documentary about Magic and Bird--deep. Also when he was playing that Pacers game when he broke his cheek bone--he played the last part of the game with a concussion and seeing DOUBLE. Watch some of the trash talking stories from his opponent. Great fun

You all talked about how selfless he was. He knew he could go for 30 ppg if he wanted to but he was raised in a small town in the Midwest where you're taught that you play as a team, you win as a team, and you lose as a team so he liked to get everyone involved when they were on the floor. And he was playing chess, always a few steps ahead of everyone else so he could make things happen

Hearing "steal by bird" still gives me goosebumps.

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were connected in basketball throughout their careers. They faced each other in college in the NCAA finals, and then they faced each other in the NBA. The Celtics and Lakers had one of the great sports rivalries of all time.

Bird and Magic played exaactly alike and their story is absolutely amazing..

Larry Bird is one of the best players of all time, but arguably the single best playmaker of all time. As you can see from his no-look passes, he knew where every player was on the court at all times. Add to that his own shot accuracy and he made his entire team better.

All through his playing years, he would come to practice an hour early and shoot free-throws , then stay after the game and again shoot free-throws after everyone else had left. THAT'S what set him apart from the rest!

About the best of all time chat you guys were having.. I think most reasonable fans that aren't under 20 years old have Larry Bird in the top 5 of all time, or at the very least the top 10. One of the best clutch performers of all time, great shooting touch, invented the 50/40/90 club (meaning 50% from 2 point range, 40% from 3 point range, and 90% free throws in a single season), excellent rebounder, excellent passer, good team defender. He played in an era before shooting 3 pointers become normalized and accepted, his first season was the first year the 3 point line came to the NBA just for reference. If he was playing today he would be EVEN better no doubt because of his shooting ability and rebounding.

Good to see brothers from other nations enjoying a sport we grew up with. I'm from New England, so the Celtics are our team. In the 80s I very much remember watching Larry, Parrish, Ainge, McHale, DJ, etc dominate the league along with the mighty Lakers. Those were amazing times as are the memories.

Thank you guys for reacting, more reactions on bird ,stay safe and God bless always to you guys

nicknamed Larry Legend. He was a TEAM player and got just as much joy making a killer pass as making a 3. He did "trash talk" but like Ali he backed it up. He got RESPECT from his peers. He was outstanding.

I’m definitely going to check out more of these mixtapes because it was REALLY well done. There’s so much garbage out there but there are also some really talented producers. I love the mix of videos y’all do! I’ve fallen into some DEEP rabbit holes from your reactions of late..anyone else watch waaay too much Bondi Rescue??🤣

Larry Bird was amazing. He was a true artist on the court. He truly has no equivalent. He was a beast at a time when the NBA was at its most fierce. I suggest watching the video on the relationship between Bird and Magic. It’s quite the story. Very moving and inspiring.

I'm not a Celtics fan, grew up in Kansas City thousands of miles from Boston, and grew up playing basketball my entire life. And I can confidently say Larry Bird is the best overall basketball player I have ever seen.

He is regarded amongst the greats as one of the greats if not the best all around player. His court vision and game IQ were freakishly good

In 1974 my brother played against Larry Bird in High School...Springs valley was about an hour from us...My Brother went to South Knox High School in Vincennes, IN...Larry Bird was from French Lick. He said he had never played against any player like that ever and was in complete awe of him and followed his career until he retired....He is Indianas and the worlds greatest player of all time...bar none.

Should check out the video series “making the case.” Awesome video series where they make an argument for Bird and other all time greats as the Greatest of All Time.

Bird =The most complete player to ever play.

He is the goat. The most complete player I have ever seen. I was a Sixers fan in the 80's. and he would send me into a rage time and time again. The man could not be stopped.

Larry was the man! College, Pro, Championships, Coach and GM for Boston!!!!!!!!!! He and Magic had a rivalry on the court but were friends in real life. We followed their college and pro careers 🏆 Larry born in 1956 Magic 1959 Me and my husband 1958 We were their biggest fans over the years 🏀 but we were born in Detroit and Pistons fans two.

I'm from Boston and I had the pleasure of seeing Larry Bird play in a game at the Boston Garden during the 1982-1983 season, along with Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Cedric Maxwell and Danny Ainge. He was definitely one of the greatest players in NBA history because of his incredible technical shooting ability, excellent passing, ability to make plays happen in difficult situations, solid defense and leadership. He played for the Celtics from 1979 to 1992 and although he had multiple injuries of different body parts during his career, it was the worsening chronic back issues that forced him to retire. People have speculated what type of stats he would have achieved if he hadn't missed some games and retired early do to the back issues. He also played his entire career with a bent and stiff right index finger due to an injury he sustained just prior to joining the Celtics (I saw a quote that said his index finger was "shaped much like a boomerang, permanently bent toward his thumb at a 45-degree angle"). The Celtics won 3 NBA championships during Larry's time with them (and were in the finals 2 other times in which they lost), which was the 2'nd most successful period for the team, behind the "golden period" of 1957-1969 in which they 11 championships in 13 years.

"I loved that bassetball, that bassetball was like a bassetball to me." - Basketball Jones

You guys gotta watch "Michael Jordan's Historic Bulls Mixtape". That shit's amazing.

Bird is the GOAT, he just had about a 7 year career that was healthy. The final 6 years his back was so bad and he played through so much pain. In 7 healthy years he founded the 50-40-90 club, he won 3 straight league MVPs, he won 3 NBA titles, and beat a super team with Kareem, Magic, Worthy, coached by Pat Riley for the title.

Bird has the classic poor kid to sports story. A family of 8 in a 2 bedroom home. He slept on the porch where there was no heat. He was attracted to basketball at a young age and later said, "Even as a kid, when I played basketball with my buddies, I passed the ball a lot. Passing brings teams together, since everybody likes to shoot and score. The key was to pass the ball at just the right moment so teammates would have an easier time making shots. Winning together was everything." His parents divorced when he was in high school and a few years later his dad took his own life. He credits his high school basketball coach for fostering his skill and confidence in the game. There's a great documentary called Magic and Bird, a Courtship of Rivals. I have been hoping you would find your way to the Larry Bird rabbit hole.

9:37 "It's been more than the statistical line when you talk about Larry Bird here this afternoon." That quote always resonated with me on why Larry Bird is one of the greatest to ever step on the hardwood.

As a kid in 80's, me and my mom liked to pick rival pro teams and root against each other. She chose the Celtics with Bird and McHale, I chose the Lakers with Magic and Kareem. Was amazing watching those two teams go against each other for dominance in the 80's.

I'm 60. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird brought the NBA back from obscurity. They ended up rivals in the college final . It carried on into the NBA with Lakers vs Celtics . Great players, Great Teams , Great Rivalry. I'm a Golden State fan from the Bay Area 75 we won it. Most people quite paying attention until those two came along.

Yes, Bird is absolutely at the head table among all time greats. He may not be THE GOAT, but he has a seat at the top table for sure.

Larry used to stay AFTER practices and shoot 10,000 shots! Magic heard about this and he also did it, just to "keep up with Larry" - his words. On a late night TV show interview Magic admitted that Larry made him a better player. Quite a compliment...

The Magic -v- Bird years are among the best in the NBA ever!!! Cheers

Magic and Bird has maybe the best rivalry in sports of all time. Their 1979 college championship game against each other had the most broadcast viewership of any basketball game until 2017. It is crazy to think that it took the NBA almost 40 years to have a game that had more people watching than two college teams.

Now you have to do Magic Johnson.

Watch Courtship of rivals on KZfaq it’s a Larry bird magic Johnson documentary

After the video, it was great to hear you 3 talk about BB with some mentions of the superstars of the game. BB is worldwide thanks to these NBA greats. Today the players are worldwide!

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played against each other since college and at Larry Birds retirement ceremony they didn’t show it but Magic took off his Jersey and was wearing a Larry Bird jersey. Larry is definitely a legend and also known as basketball Jesus, anyone who is old enough to have watched him play such as myself would say he was one of the greatest players of all time.

His ball handling and passing skills are the greatest ever 🔥

Coming from a Lakers fan that grew up watching Showtime and Shaq and Kobe rooting against the celtics and Larry Legend and can fully say without any bias that Larry Legend Bird is best of ALL-TIME

Larry Byrd is a legend in basketball, along with the likes of Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, et al. While lots of newer players have become stars over the years, there are some players who have achieved the highest echelons of their sport over their career. Larry Byrd is one of those. A cut above the rest; a legend, pure and simple.

The Blokes have to React to the post career interviews they’ve done. Magic Johnson is a billionaire now and is part owner of the Dodgers. Larry Bird still dables in basketball. Magic vs Bird was the biggest rivalry in the 1980s. Magic ended up with 5 NBA titles and is considered the greatest point guard of all time. Until Lebron James can along Larry Bird was the best Small forward of all time. In an interview for a sneaker commercial in the late 80s shot in Bird’s hometown they apparently really hated one another…. Until Bird’s mom invited Magic into the house and served them lunch during a break. They are literally the same player in different bodies. Both stand 6’9 both weighed the same both had incredible basketball IQ and both were magicians with the rock.The game they played in college for the NCAA championship is still the highest rated basketball telecast in the history of American sports. Which is insane considering the resources and access to cable we have in 2021. Great reaction Blokes keep em rollin in

The Goat Larry Legend ☘️

Best all-around player ever. You need to watch his passing video and his trash talking video. He made everyone else around him better... You don't see that in today's game. In today's game it's all about the individual, not the team. If Larry was not injured in today's game he would be the best player ever...

His career was cut short from injury (mostly because he always played so hard and stayed in instead of taking time to heal). Also committed his whole career to Boston. Instead of being like Lebron and a lot of players by bouncing around and just trying to be on the best team they can His trash talking is the best there ever was too. Check out more of that!

The night he retired it was standing room only! The Boston Gardens and NO Game was playing! That was the fans wanted to see his exit! True loyalty!

I'm glad when I first start to watch basketball in Jr high school, I had the chance to see Larry bird play his last two years of b-ball!

I was lucky enough to see Bird play it was the most amazing night I had watching BBall . We live in Texas and we love our Mavericks but being Irish my daddy’s team was the Celtics so is mine to this day . … I was the boy my dad didn’t have for years lol …. You guys should watch Larry Bird Making The Case it really show such so much more .

I watched Legend play live 33 years ago and I’ve yet to see anyone play the game better. To me there is no GOAT debate. It’s a shame about injuries shortening his career, but he’s undeniably the hardest working and smartest player ever.

Guys, not sure you noticed but when he came back on the floor, that was the same game where his face hit the floor. He fractured his cheek and came back in and won the game. There are a lot of people who won't give him his due. You hear people say he was great "for a white guy". The ones who really know the game like former and present NBA players all know Larry Legend was one of the all time best and they will tell you so. I am sending along a link to a video where Larry's orthopedic doctor is talking about Larry's injuries that he played through. It's amazing. Enjoy. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/isl1rNuTmtXGeJc.html

I'm a Funeral Director in Indianapolis. I have met Bird quite a few times doing funerals of people in Indy. He's always a class act.

Larry Bird was all about the win, and as good as he was as a teammate he was even better. Totally selfless. As Dave says, as good as he was on the court, he was a better team mate. Great video to react to brother

Loved him and that team so much, really the only time I was a serious fan.👍

Nice! Made me smile. Best mixtape of Larry bird too

Larry Bird was never the most athletic guy on the court in his entire life. But he was talented and he worked hard. His heart was immeasurable and his determination intense. NBA fans consider him to be one of the top 5 players ever and if not he’s in the top 10 without a doubt.

When people ask me my top 5 players and I say Larry Bird. People stop me and say really? Larry Bird? I say you don't get it. Larry is the best small forward to ever play the game...quote from MJ.

He was great and that mixtape is one of the best made highlight reels I've ever seen.

Larry Bird-a living legend!

Larry Bird was playing chess while most of the others were playing checkers. I was at the Boston Garden the night they retired his number. Will never forget.

Larry Bird was like Wayne Gretzky in hockey. He seemed to have an uncanny awareness of where everyone was and where they'll be three seconds later.

This is my favorite mixtape ever. Glad to see you guys react to it