Patrick Ewing on how Larry Bird surprised him when he joined the NBA: “Whatever you were saying for a man who can’t jump, he’s demolishing everybody”

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Larry Bird is a unanimous choice among the top ten players of all time. He secured a lasting legacy for his work during the 1980s, helping the Boston Celtics and the NBA move to the mainstream. Since Larry was getting hyped up, some people thought he was not as good as advertised. Patrick Ewing had friends he talked to about Bird, and they said The Hick from French Lick was not worth the excitement. Pat immediately learned they were wrong because Bird was a certified superstar.

“When I got to the league, I called all my friends back home and said ‘You know, all the trash you were talking, you gotta squash all of that, this man is great.’ Whatever you were saying for a man who can’t jump, he’s demolishing everybody,” Ewing said on The Dan Patrick Show. “He’s doing it on everybody, he’s doing it against the best defenses in the league.”

Bird earned his spot as an all-time great

When Bird entered the league, he got hyped up as an exciting prospect coming out of Indiana State. He was superb during his college career, but some members of the NBA community doubted his ability to thrive in the league.

Those worries were not a big deal for Larry because he stood out and became arguably the best player in the league. He and Earvin “Magic” Johnson formed a fantastic rivalry, certifying themselves as the two superstars of the league.

Some people still held onto the preconceived notions attached to Bird earlier in his career when he was an unproven player. Ewing’s friends were caught up in that narrative, leading them to underestimate Larry and his skillset.

Ewing knew he had to respect Bird but felt his friends underestimated the Celtics legend. They were proven wrong in every game Patrick played against the Celtics because Bird always had good performances against him, showing him mutual respect.

Bird was always ready to play under pressure

Larry was a master under pressure, always performing well when needed. He was a target of trash talk and a prolific smack-talker, backing it up numerous times against the best defenders that he had to face. When he was the one receiving trash talk, Bird performed well, so it was challenging to play against him because it was hard to rattle him.

Ewing recognizes that, which is why he has immense respect for Bird. They played well against each other, and Patrick appreciated that. They became good friends after being teammates in the 1992 Dream Team, further strengthening Ewing’s appreciation for Larry.

The Celtics legend deserves more love for his contributions to the game that Ewing is highlighting. Larry Legend was always ready to perform, especially when being doubted. He might have never heard what Ewing’s friends said about him, but he was always motivated to perform at the highest level against anyone in front of him.