Skip to content

25 years ago today: Larry Legend calls it a career

Action Images

On August 18, 1992, one of the greatest to ever hoist a jumper decided to hang up his sneakers.

At 35, Larry Bird was no spring chicken, but he plainly had plenty of game left. He was coming off a season in which he averaged 20.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, as well as winning a gold medal with the original Dream Team at the Barcelona Olympics.

But Bird's body had been slowly betraying him for some time, from the bone spurs that had to be surgically removed from both heels to the recurring and worsening back problems that ultimately forced him into an early retirement.

"The last couple years have been very tough on me, on my back and my body," he said at his retirement press conference. "It was very hard to deal with day in and day out, and unfortunately it all came down to this. I would've liked to have played a little bit longer, maybe a year or two more, but there was just no way possible I was going to be able to do that."

"Tonight, my basketball career is officially over, and I had a blast," Bird said during his jersey retirement ceremony at Boston Garden several months later. "I leave basketball forever. I leave a game that I loved. Sorry, but I'm gone. I'm history."

Bird retired after 13 seasons, all with the Celtics, with career averages of 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.7 steals, with a .496/.376/.886 shooting line. He was a 12-time All-Star, a nine-time All-NBA first teamer, a three-time MVP, three-time champion, and two-time Finals MVP.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox