Larry Bird is almost unanimously considered one of the best NBA players of all time. Unfortunately, some detractors have moved away from that view, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar disagrees with those critics because he saw firsthand why Bird was a proven superstar.
Many players in the NBA have fantastic legacies, but Larry Bird has one of the best. He and Earvin “Magic” Johnson were influential, as the NBA’s 1980s boom was largely attributed to their successful rivalry, which began with their first scrimmage against each other.
During that rivalry, Johnson was not alone as the Los Angeles Lakers’ sole star, as he also played alongside superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
While Abdul-Jabbar was no longer in his prime, he was still a massive figure in the league during the 80s. The six-time MVP was also an observant person, so he made sure to know the standout players who deserved the spotlight.
Abdul-Jabbar considers Bird his best opponent
As a fellow superstar, Abdul-Jabbar knows what it takes to be a superstar. He was often considered the greatest player of all time until Michael Jordan and LeBron James entered the conversation. As Abdul-Jabbar has observed during and after his playing career, he knows that Bird was a legitimate superstar.
Some people might take away from Bird’s career, but he was a fantastic player. He was the primary reason behind the Boston Celtics‘ dominance in the 1980s, including Bird’s three consecutive regular-season MVP awards.
Abdul-Jabbar even said that Bird was the greatest player he went up against. That is high praise coming from a player who played against names like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Even Patrick Ewing agrees with Abdul-Jabbar, as Bird kept destroying his opponents.
“The best guy I played against might have been Larry Bird. People don’t appreciate Larry Bird enough.
“They think he was a chubby White guy. But he would wear us down,” Abdul-Jabbar said to Chris Broussard.
“The muscle that was between his ears was the best because he made three points, assists, rebounding, and steals. He was always in the right place at the right time.
“He is, without a doubt, one of the best players I’ve ever played against.”
Abdul-Jabbar always respected Bird’s impact
Since Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers were frequent opponents, they became familiar with Bird. From the jump, Abdul-Jabbar was impressed because he saw what Bird was doing on the court. It was impressive, especially considering how people kept diminishing Bird’s greatness.
Abdul-Jabbar and the rest of the NBA kept learning the hard way, as they underestimated Bird, and he kept proving them wrong. That was why the six-time MVP always had respect for Bird as soon as they played against each other for the first time.
“I remember the game he played against the Lakers, the first year the Celtics won the championship with him on the team. He was ridiculous.
“Our sportscasters were playing the Superman theme when talking about him,” Abdul-Jabbar said on ESPN’s The Jump back in 2017.
Thankfully, the NBA community looks back at Bird’s career with respect. However, it is further cemented by what Abdul-Jabbar said. Bird’s resume already stamps his greatness, but he continues to be an all-time superstar with the stories people tell about him.
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