"I never thought he was the type of guy" - Ainge admits he was shocked to see Bird take the Pacers coaching job
larry-bird-coach-min
As a player, there was no question that Larry Bird was a winner. He won three NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and is a legitimate three-time MVP.
When Bird agreed to be the head coach of the Indiana Pacers in May 1997, there was a mix of doubt and confidence. Being a successful player, pundits felt that the Indiana State product could share his knowledge and help the Pacers on the right path.
However, it also followed that not all great players were built as coaches. Former rival and eventual best friend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson tried his hand at coaching the Los Angeles Lakers, but it never worked out. Johnson was passionate and easily irritated by players who didn't show the same love for the game as he did. Earvin would coach the Purple and Gold for only 16 games in the 1993-94 season.
Why Bird was different
Larry understood where Johnson was coming from. However, the 6th overall pick of the 1978 Draft pointed out why his coaching stint differed from Magic's.
The Lakers legend still wanted to play while Bird was already retired. Even if he wanted to, it would not work since he had a nagging back problem. This was the reason why 'The Hick From French Lick' was forced to retire in the first place.
Hence, Bird showed he was serious about coaching and willing to leave no stone unturned. He emphasized fitness and told his players he wanted them to be in tip-top shape. This was a must if Larry and the Pacers were to succeed.
Surprise success
When word got out that Bird was going to coach the Pacers, one former teammate who admitted he was surprised was Danny Ainge. He admitted he wasn't expecting his former Celtics teammate to take a head coaching gig. However, given his talent and experience, the BYU product believed Larry would do just fine.
"It surprised me that he would want to be a coach because I never thought he was the type of guy who would be interested in it," Ainge said via the New York Times in 1997. "But I think he will be an excellent head coach because he was a winner and a guy who made everyone else around him better."
Bird coached the Pacers for three years and proved equally adept at that position. He guided the Pacers to two Eastern Conference Finals (1998 and 1999) and an NBA Finals appearance in 2000.
Larry stepped down after that Finals run, sticking to his initial agreement with the Pacers to coach the team for only three seasons. He holds a 147-67 win-loss record in the regular season and 32-20 in the playoffs.
Bird remains connected with the Pacers, serving as a consultant. As to possibly coaching again in the future, the answer to that is anyone's guess.