Larry Bird, a renowned basketball icon, completed his high school education at Springs Valley High School in French Lick, Indiana in 1974. Initially, he enrolled at Indiana University, only to later transfer to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, where he embarked on a remarkable basketball career, earning recognition as one of the greatest shooting forwards in the history of the sport.
The Boston Celtics selected Bird as their first-round pick in 1978, with the sixth overall pick, but he opted to play an additional year at ISU. During his final collegiate season, he led the Sycamores to the 1979 NCAA Title Game against Michigan State, where he engaged in an epic battle with Magic Johnson, sparking a legendary basketball rivalry that dominated the 1980s.
Bird joined the Celtics in the fall of 1979 and spent his entire career with the team. He appeared in five NBA Finals, winning championships in 1981, 1984, and 1986. His impressive individual accolades include three consecutive league MVP awards (1984-1986),two NBA Finals MVP awards (1984 and 1986),NBA Rookie of the Year (1980),and nine selections to the first team NBA All-Star.
Unfortunately, back injuries forced Bird's retirement in 1992, and his number 33 jersey was subsequently retired by the Celtics. In 1998, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, a testament to his enduring legacy in the world of basketball.
