Rewind to when NBA icon Larry Bird revealed he regretted the way his illustrious career ended

Naismith Hall of Famer Larry Bird is widely recognized as one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history and achieved everything there is to achieve in the sport during his illustrious career.

However, Bird did not get the ending he wanted or dreamed of, as his final two NBA seasons were disrupted by serious back problems. The condition was so severe that he had to wear a brace nearly every day to manage the pain. Even surgery to remove a disc in his back did not help the Boston Celtics icon, prompting him to eventually retire from the sport in August 1992.

In his book Bird Watching, published in 1999, the 68-year-old admitted it was a ridiculous way to end his career.

“Looking back, it was a ridiculous way to end my career. But at the time, I just put my head down and tried to get through it. I missed 37 games in my final season. People knew I was hurting, but very few had any idea how bad it really was. It got to a point where I was wearing a brace almost all the time except for when I was practicing or playing,” Bird wrote.

Despite the back issues severely impacting his play, the Celtics still finished the regular season with a 51–31 win-loss record. While decent, it was a far cry from the dominant team Bird led throughout the 1980s. He played just 45 games in his final season, missing more than half of it due to his back.

From shooting alone for hours upon hours to retiring as a 3X NBA Champion and 3X MVP, today, we celebrate the achievements of Larry Bird.

Happy Pack Drop Day!

☘️ https://t.co/Nbw8F4LBdA pic.twitter.com/VwMeVW8InS

— NBA Top Shot (@NBATopShot) August 23, 2023

Bird admitted that he knew it was his final season but kept it to himself, as he didn’t want any fuss made over him.

“Even though I knew I was playing my last season, I kept it to myself. The last thing I wanted or needed was a big commotion at every city we went to. I had no interest in a retirement tour,” he added.

Selected as the sixth overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1978 NBA Draft, Bird spent his entire 14-year professional career with the franchise and went on to establish himself as their greatest-ever player.

He won three NBA championships with the Celtics, was named NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, NBA Finals MVP twice, NBA All-Star Game MVP once, 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year, a three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion, and was named to both the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. He also earned 12 NBA All-Star selections, among numerous other honors.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.