Top 45 famous quotes by Larry Bird
One of the most legendary basketball players. We review the famous quotes of Larry 'Legend'.
Larry Joe Bird was a well-known former basketball player born in born in 1956 in West Baden, Indiana.
Throughout his professional career Bird played for 13 seasons in the NBA, all of them with the same team, the Boston Celtics. With a height that exceeded by several centimeters the 2 meters, this player found his place within the team in the well-known position of small forward.
Great famous quotes of Larry Bird
The rivalry of this athlete with the also famous Magic Johnson and his marked personality, made him one of the most charismatic players of the moment. All the fans of this mythical team know perfectly every detail of this legendary player, would you like to know them?
Then you can do so by enjoying the 45 most famous quotes of Larry BirdThese are quotes that no fan of the NBA and competitive sports should miss.
An achiever is someone who knows his God-given talents, strives hard to convert them into skills to achieve his goals.
Even if we are talented, it is our determination that will lead us to success.
2. I don't know if I have trained more than anyone else, but I am sure I have trained a lot. I still wonder if anyone, anywhere, was training harder than me.
Without dedication, we will never achieve our goal.
3. Tonight I saw God disguised as a basketball player (on Michael Jordan after he scored 63 points).
Michael Jordan is recognized as the best player in history, Bird appreciated the quality of this extraordinary player.
4. What matters is not who scores the points, but who can get the ball to the scorer.
Basketball is a team sport and games are also won as a team.
5. Whenever I played I didn't care who defended me. The only thing I didn't want was a white player defending me, because I felt it was a disrespect to my game.
Bird knew that the African-American players of the moment were capable of a higher level of play, he always wanted to play against the best.
6. When you are labeled the best, if you want to stay there, you can't do it by slacking off.
In order to be among the best, we must train like the best.
7. Coaches can talk and talk and talk about something, but if you get it on the court and prove it to them, you are much more effective.
Our actions speak louder than our words.
8. "Leadership, it's fighting for a loose ball, getting everyone involved, all the other players. It's being able to take over and delegate. That's the only way you can get the respect of your teammates. It's getting everyone to believe in you and always give your best.
As leaders of a team, we must know how to set an example with our own actions.
9. If you give 100% all the time, somehow things will work out in the end.
Our attitude and determination will determine our personal success.
10. Push yourself again and again. Don't give an inch until the final horn sounds.
Giving the maximum of ourselves will give us the opportunity to succeed.
11. He's taller than me, he's faster than me, he's better looking than me, but I'm still a much better basketball player.
We must never be intimidated by anyone, we must be aware of our own worth.
12. "Leadership, it's diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd into the game, getting your teammates into the game. It's the only way to be respected.
It's up to us to get everyone around us really involved in our purpose.
13. Being able to play with people like Magic Johnson or against the Lakers was an honor. Every game was a battle and you knew that if you didn't play well, your team had no chance of winning.
In the NBA only the best are capable of winning, this league demands the maximum from all its players.
14. You should have stayed praying (to J.R. Reid, a player with deep religious convictions, after scoring his 50th point).
Bird was a man who knew how to instill fear in his opponent, psychological warfare is something that can work very well in these cases.
15. "Leadership", is getting your teammates to believe in you. If you tell a teammate to play as hard as he can, you better go out and lead by example. Teammates know if you're a faker and can tell if you're giving it your all or not.
As Bird rightly tells us in this quote, our example is essential for others to believe in us.
16. Are you kidding me, rookie? I'm the best shooter in history.
Few were capable of going toe-to-toe with this legendary player.
17. In Boston, if there has been a player above the rest, it has been Bill Russell, he will always be the No. 1 because everyone falls short of his mark.
As a player of the legendary Celtics, Bird knew perfectly those who came before him.
18. Magic please get out of my dreams.
Magic Johnson was a player who gave Larry Bird more than one headache.
19. I think the best athletes in the world are African-American.
African-Americans have proven to have a very favorable genetics for sports, being able to achieve great goals and being the best in countless disciplines.
20. The first thing I do every morning is look at the stats of the last few games to see what Magic did. I don't care about anything else.
Bird was fully aware that the only player who could overshadow him was this Los Angeles Lakers legend.
21. Change Chuck Person, because if he's still on the court, I swear I'll destroy you (the Pacers coach).
Not content with intimidating his rivals, Bird was capable of verbally threatening the coach of the rival team.
22. Which of you is going to come in second?
Psychology can help us reach our goal, with a losing mentality we will never achieve victory.
23. I really don't like to talk about money. All I can say is that the Lord must have wanted me to have so much.
Money was something Bird didn't pay much attention to, he put so many other things before personal wealth.
24. I can't believe my team was so soft. B-L-A-A-N-D-O-S! I'm disappointed, I never thought something like this could happen. That's all I'm going to say.
For our team to be able to give their best, we must motivate them on certain occasions.
25. No matter how good I am, I'm still just a French Lick redneck.
Having our roots clear and present can help us to know what we want in the future.
26. Basketball is a black man's game and always will be.
Bird was not shy about speaking his mind and as we all know, African-Americans are truly talented in almost any sport, with special emphasis on basketball.
27. They might have beaten us, yes. I haven't played for 20 years and we're all very old now.
In this quote, Bird joked about which has been the best Dream Team in history, an answer he gave referring to the much-loved Kobe Bryant.
28. I've dedicated my life to basketball. And I've dedicated my life to the Boston Celtics.
For Bird, the Celtics were much more than just a team, they were his home.
29. I don't miss it at all. I'm glad to be out.
This legendary player has been able to enjoy and appreciate his well-deserved retirement.
30. I won this championship for Terre Haute.
With this quote, Bird dedicated the championship to this idyllic city in Indiana, USA.
31. He is simply a phenomenal teammate.
This forward was always a much loved and admired player in the Celtics.
32. It's like watching a cat playing with a mouse.
His size and quality made this player one of the best in the world.
33. I'm not afraid of anyone except Larry Bird. Because if he has the opportunity, he will win the game.
Fighting for every ball allowed Larry Bird to win games he otherwise would not have been able to win.
34. I've had the honor of coaching the best players. But if I had to start a team today, the best player and the first one I would pick would be Larry Bird.
The Boston Celtics small forward is one of those people we always wish we had on our side.
35. Larry Bird never gives up, never loses hope. He always believes he has a chance to win.
As this player teaches us with the way he plays, we must persevere and fight until the end.
36. For the best basketball player of all time. But even more important: a friend forever.
The most important thing in any basketball team is the personal relationships that are created among its players.
37. Larry wants any advantage: be it physical or tactical. But more importantly: a psychological advantage.
Using psychology to gain the victory is something that only the smartest athletes know how to do.
38. If a team is up by 2, and they are down by 2, Bird will get a 3-point basket. And you wait for it with bated breath.
People admired this player, the stadiums were filled just to see him play.
39. He was the most motivated player I've ever seen in my life. He was no hick.
Motivation is a fundamental aspect in any sport, without it we will be much more mediocre in our game.
40. He is very intelligent. He has a lot of eyes around his head.
Intelligence is fundamental in basketball, you have to be very intelligent to know how to see and direct a play correctly.
41. One way or another, Bird... KILL YOU!
The commentators went completely crazy with Larry Bird's game.
42. Bird is free. Bird makes a layup!
This player could surprise you at any time, maybe even at the least expected moment.
43. Bird over the shoulder.
Facing one of the most energetic players of all time had to be no easy task for his opponents.
44. Bird steals it and passes to Johnson at the last second!
Bird was undoubtedly a specialist in springing a surprise at the last second. The nightmare of his rivals.
45. On the board!!!!
The commentators were greatly enjoying the game of perhaps one of the greatest players of all time.
(Updated at Apr 12 / 2024)