"He had the best hand-eye coordination of anybody who ever played basketball" - Bob Knight on what made Larry Bird a superstar
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Larry Bird is a unanimous choice as one of the best-ever NBA players. He was a dominant individual who could score at the highest level and be an elite playmaker. Larry Legend was one of the most impressive players during the 1980s, winning three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 to 1986.
Bird was also a significant reason the NBA reached a global audience. His rivalry with Earvin “Magic” Johnson attracted people to the league. They made it cool to watch basketball, passing the torch to some of the biggest names in sports since.
A man who knew Larry would be a great player was legendary Indiana University head coach Bob Knight. He only played at IU for a month before transferring to Indiana State, but Knight saw something special in Bird.
“He had a mind that was like a camera, he had the best hand-eye coordination of anybody who ever played basketball,” Knight said on ESPN SportsCentury.
Why Bird left IU in 1974
Most people expected Bird to stick around and play for the Hoosiers for his entire college career, but he left after just a month. Some theorized it was about a rift with Knight, but it actually revolved around financial issues between Larry and his family.
As an Indiana native, Bird would have loved playing under a good coach like Knight, who was still building his legendary resume, as he was only three years into the job. ‘The General’ would win three NCAA National Championships in his career, which meant Bird Larry have reached a similar level if he stayed.
However, Bird left and joined the Northwood Institute near his hometown of French Lick, Indiana. Larry then enrolled at Indiana State University in 1975, spending the rest of his stint with the Sycamores, leading the school to their first-ever NCAA Tournament.
He had a splendid 33-0 record ahead of the 1979 national championship game. That final game would be the Sycamore’s only loss of the season, as they lost against the mighty Michigan State Spartans led by Earvin Johnson, a defeat Bird felt was the toughest of his career. The game notched the highest-ever television rating for a college basketball game at the time, setting the tone for the Larry vs. Magic rivalry that would translate well into the NBA.
Bobby felt he could have done more for Larry
Reports said that Knight was heartbroken when Bird left Indiana, citing he should have done more to retain Larry Legend. At the end of the day, it was a good move, considering Larry became one of the nation’s best players with the Sycamores, while the Hoosiers won multiple national titles.
However, it’s fair for Knight to feel that way, given Bird’s uncanny talent. He was already one of the best players in the country during his college days, and he became even better during his superstardom in the NBA with the Boston Celtics.
“I don’t think I was either quite smart enough or quite understanding enough of Bird’s situation. When he was here, he was from a small town down in southern Indiana, French Lick, and had some tough things in his life growing up,” Knight said. “Well, Larry needed somebody to chase after him a little bit. Then to show a little bit more compassion for his situation than I did.”
They could have built a formidable partnership, becoming the best coach-player duo in college. However, they became the best, but not together, as each built their legacy in their own lane.