How did the Celtics get Larry Bird?
6 min read
Asked by: Benzel Foreman
Bird was drafted by the Celtics after his junior year at Indiana State (1978) but did not play professionally until the 1979–80 season, when he won the Rookie of the Year award after contributing to one of the largest single-season turnarounds in NBA history (a 32-win improvement).
How did the Celtics get to draft Larry Bird?
Five teams, including the Pacers who held the third pick, passed on Bird until the Celtics used the sixth pick to draft him. They drafted him even though they knew that they might lose the exclusive rights to him if he didn’t sign before the next draft.
Why didn’t Larry Bird play the year he was drafted?
Since Larry Bird didn’t sign a contract with the Celtics originally, the team would’ve lost his draft rights the second the 1979 draft began. The two sides ultimately agreed to a five-year, $3.25 million contract that made Bird the highest-paid rookie in sports history at the time.
How did the Lakers get the number 1 pick in 1982?
The Lakers won the coin toss against the San Diego Clippers and received the first pick, with which they selected Worthy. As a result, the Lakers became the first and only team to acquire the top pick in the Draft after having won that season’s championship.
How did the Lakers get the number 1 pick in 1979?
The Lakers had acquired a first-round pick in the 1979 NBA draft from New Orleans when the Jazz signed Gail Goodrich as a free agent before the 1976-77 season. That pick turned out to be the No. 1 overall selection when the Jazz finished with the league’s worst record in 1978-79.
Why did the Celtics get Bird before the draft?
As Powell writes, “(Auerbach) took advantage of a loophole and drafted Bird in 1978, a year before his graduation. According to the rules then, Bird was draft eligible because he’d already spent four years in college.”
How did Larry Bird avoid the draft?
Bird also has a fingerprint on the NBA Draft process
So rather than taking a player to sign for the present, Auerbach went a different direction. He selected Bird under a provision called the junior-eligible rule. That allowed teams to draft collegiate juniors whether they had applied for the draft or not.
Are Larry Bird and Magic Johnson friends?
Johnson and Bird are still great friends to this day and were co-captains of that 1992 squad. Bird played his final game of professional basketball with Magic by his side, as a career of back injuries caused Bird to announce his retirement after the game.
Does Jerry West have a ring?
Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths.
Jerry West.
| Los Angeles Clippers | |
|---|---|
| 1960–1974 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| As coach: | |
| 1976–1979 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Were Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the same draft?
1979 NBA Draft
If Larry Bird being taken in 1978 was important, so too was the Los Angeles Lakers’ selection of Magic Johnson in 1979.
How did the Celtics get the 2nd pick in 1986?
The Boston Celtics lucked into the second pick of the 1986 draft by dealing Gerald Henderson to the Seattle SuperSonics back in 1984. Bias was to be an athletic force added to the Celtics, who were coming off a 67-15 season and a championship. Bird.
When did Jerry West retire?
After retiring on Oct. 4, 1974, West’s post-playing career included serving as head coach of the Lakers for three seasons. He led the team to the playoffs in each of those years, including one berth in the Western Conference Finals.
Were Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the same draft?
1979 NBA Draft
If Larry Bird being taken in 1978 was important, so too was the Los Angeles Lakers’ selection of Magic Johnson in 1979.
How much was Larry Bird’s first contract?
When Larry Bird inked a five-year rookie deal worth $650,000 per year with the Boston Celtics, it was the most lucrative deal for a first-year player in NBA history.
How did Magic Johnson get drafted?
The Los Angeles Lakers, who obtained the New Orleans Jazz’ first-round pick in a trade, won the coin flip and were awarded the first overall pick, while the Chicago Bulls were awarded the second pick.
| 1979 NBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| League | NBA |
| First selection | Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers) |
| 1980 → | |
How did the Lakers get Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
He requested that he be traded to either New York or Los Angeles, and Bucks General Manager Wayne Embry complied, sending Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers in 1975 for Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and Brian Winters. The second Abdul-Jabbar dynasty was about to take shape.
Did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar fight Bruce Lee?
Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had an iconic fight scene in Game of Death. Here’s the story behind the NBA superstar’s cameo in the 1978 film. One of Bruce Lee’s most famous movie battles is with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his unfinished film, Game of Death.
When did wilt retire?
Wilt retired from the NBA after the 1972-73 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, doing so as the league’s all-time leader in points and rebounds in a game, season and career, holding almost 80 individual records compiled during 14 seasons.
Is Wilt Chamberlain drafted?
The 1959 NBA draft was the 13th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on March 31, 1959, before the 1959–60 season.
| 1959 NBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Territorial pick(s) | Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Warriors Bob Ferry, St. Louis Hawks |
Who scored 100 points in an NBA game?
Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game: Most points in a single game in NBA history. Sixty years ago, on March 2, 1962, Philadelphia Warriors superstar Wilt Chamberlain poured in 100 points to set the NBA single-game record.
Did Wilt Chamberlain lose arm?
Because of that one game, Wilt lost his arm and got a damaged eye. Wilt later ran away, until he found Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, where they took him in to find a place to live. He is an optimistic imaginary friend who is very kind and friendly.
Is Wilt from Fosters based on Wilt Chamberlain?
Wilt’s name and appearance were inspired by legendary Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain (who was known for his exceedingly tall height), as confirmed by Craig McCracken, in a response to a comment on his DeviantArt page.
What NBA player shattered the backboard?
Darryl Dawkins
On November 13, 1979, in the middle of a game at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaps over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine and slam-dunks the basketball, shattering the fiberglass backboard.
Did Michael Jordan ever shatter a backboard?
Perhaps his most famous would be the Bulls’s 1997 trip to Paris but one that doesn’t get talked about enough is his game in Italy on August 26, 1985. It was a Nike exhibition game in Trieste and MJ got a full head of steam, going coast-to-coast before raising up and dunking the ball, resulting in a shattered backboard.
Did Michael Jordan ever dunk on Shaquille O Neal?
Shaquille O’Neal shared his experience playing against Jordan. He noted that Jordan tried dunking on him, so he decided to flagrant foul him. Shaq revealed that Jordan told him to never apologize for making contact with another player, something Shaq then carried with him later (3:45 onwards).
