Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes (2024)

Larry Bird was a co-star of one of the greatest college basketball national championship games ever – Bird vs. Magic, when the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores took on the co-Big Ten champion Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 championship. Bird was one of the best scorers in the country, a big forward who led the way for the Sycamores from the Missouri Valley Conference to the biggest national stage.

The vitals for Larry Bird

School: Indiana State
Position: Forward
Height: 6-9
Weight: 220 pounds
Years active: 1976-79
NCAA tournament record: 4-1
Career averages: 30.3 points per game, 13.3 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, 53.3% shooting

SeasongamesFGfgaFG%reboundsassistsstealspoints
1976-772813.424.6.54413.34.42.832.8
1977-783212.624.0.52411.53.92.430.0
1978-793411.120.8.53214.95.52.528.6
Career9412.323.0.53313.34.62.630.3

What was Larry Bird's record in college?

Indiana State went 81-13 during the three seasons in which Larry Bird played for the Sycamores. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record.

NAISMITH AWARDS: Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year

What was Larry Bird's offensive game like?

While Bird was most known for his scoring, he had a well-rounded game that included double-digit rebound totals and unselfish passing. "He's 6-9, was the nation's second leading scorer and that's not all," wrote The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton. "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. He even plays defense, although that's not what's causing the NBA Boston Celtics to salivate over him."

In an effort to stop Bird, Bradley coach Dick Versace installed what was referred to as the "Bird's Nest Defense," where two defenders would guard Bird and the other three defenders would cover the four other Sycamores. Bird took just two shots that night and made both, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, while he helped teammates Carl Nicks and Steve Reed score 50 combined.

While Indiana State coach Bill Hodges was frustrated with the style of defense, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, Bird wasn't concerned about his lack of shots. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds."

In Bird's own words, here's the value he placed on ball movement: "My feeling about passing is that it don't matter who's doing the scoring as long as it's us. I just think when a man is open, he should get the ball whether it's 30 feet out on the wing or underneath. We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important."

Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes (1)

What were some of Larry Bird's best games?

Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. He scored 136 points in five NCAA tournament games, leading the Sycamores to the national championship game, where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. The following comes from The Tampa Bay Times:

Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes (2)

His best NCAA tournament game came in the Final Four against DePaul, when he scored 35 points with 16 rebounds and nine assists (all were NCAA tournament highs for him) while shooting 16-of-19 from the field. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas.

He was brilliant against the Razorbacks with a a 31-point, 10-rebound game in the regional finals.

Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game.

Bird was often checked by Magic Johnson in Michigan State's 2-3 matchup zone in theepic clash of two all-time greats. Bird would typically start offensive possessions on the right block, where he would utilize the right corner of the floor, the fre-throw line extended and the opposite wing.

You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below.

Other notable performances by Bird include his career-high 49 points against Wichita State in February 1979, scoring 29 points in the first half against Butler in December 1978, just 10 months after he dropped 47 on the Bulldogs on the road.

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What awards did Larry Bird win in college?

Here are some of the awards Larry Bird won in college:

  • 1978 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year
  • 1979 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year
  • 1979 Midwest Regional Team
  • 1979 All-Tournament Team
  • 1979 Consensus All-American
  • 1970s All-Decade Team
  • NCAA Tournament All-Time Team
  • Named a top-15 player in the 75 Years of March Madness Celebration

However, Bird was all business in spite of the awards he won and the fanfare he received. His focus was on the court.

From The Evening Sun:

"At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. 'Coach, I'm dead,' moaned Bird. 'Can I stay in bed?' Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media.

"By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things.

"'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented.

"'Wrong,' said Bird."

What records did Larry Bird set in college and where does he rank among historical greats?

Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State:

  • A member of the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club: 2,850 points and 1,247 rebounds
  • Indiana State's all-time leading scorer (2,850 points)
  • Indiana State records for most points in the first half, second half, in a game, at home, on the road, in a loss
  • Highest scoring average in the 1979 NCAA Tournament (27.2 points per game)
  • Most rebounds and highest rebound average in the 1979 NCAA Tournament (67 rebounds, 13.4 rpg)
  • Indiana State-record 35 points in an NCAA tournament game
  • Indiana State-record 16 field goals in an NCAA tournament game
  • Indiana State-record 84.2 shooting percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. 10 attempts)
  • Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. 10 attempts)
  • Indiana State-record 16 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game
  • Tied for first in semifinal history with 16 made field goals against DePaul
  • Second-leading scorer in the country in 1978: 30.0 points per game
  • Second-leading scorer in the country in 1979: 28.6 points per game
  • Third-leading scorer in the country in 1977: 32.8 points per game
  • Sixth all-time (since 1973) in rebounds in a season: 505 rebounds (1979)
  • Tied for seventh with a two-game Final Four rebound total of 29 rebounds in 1979

Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes (3)Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four.

  • Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul
  • Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding average: 13.3 rebounds per game
  • Ninth in NCAA tournament history (since 1973) with 67 rebounds in a single NCAA tournament
  • Tied for 13th all-time in double-doubles in a season: 28 double-doubles (1979)
  • 15th all-time in career scoring average (min. 1,400 points): 30.3 points
  • 16th all-time on the NCAA career scoring list: 2,850 points
  • Tied for 23rd all-time in career double-doubles: 68 double-doubles
  • Tied for 24th all-time in points in a season: 973 points (1979)
  • Tied for 24th all-time in consecutive double-doubles in a season: 16 double-doubles (1979)

What did people say about Larry Bird?

Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote after watching him in the Final Four: "I could not believe The Bird."

The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Now the Sycamores are 33-0, they are ranked No. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. It's because of Bird."

The New York Times' Dave Anderson: "[Bill] Hodges likes to say that his primary contribution to the Sycamores this season has been 'not messing up Larry Bird.'"

Indiana State coach Bill Hodges on the notion that man-to-man defenses might slow Bird down: "If we go against a UCLA or a Notre Dame later on and they play man-to-man, that's when you'll see how tough Larry really is."

Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him ... he brings out the best in everybody. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever."

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Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes (2024)

FAQs

What were Larry Bird's stats in college? ›

For his college career, Bird averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, leading the Sycamores to an 81–13 record during his tenure. Bird also appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education.

Was Larry Bird good in college? ›

What awards did Larry Bird win in college? ›

He was named the Sporting News, AP, UPI, USBWA and Basketball Weekly College Player of the Year in 1979 and received both the Naismith Award and the John Wooden Award. Bird was also a two-time consensus All-American and twice named the Most Valuable Player in the Missouri Valley Conference.

How good was Larry Bird in high school? ›

At Springs Valley High in French Lick his senior season, Bird was one of the state's (and nation's) top players, scoring 764 points in 25 games for a 30.6 average and adding in 516 rebounds and 107 assists. In his high school career, he scored 1,125 points and averaged 30.6 points and 20.5 rebounds.

What is a famous quote by Larry Bird? ›

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end. Push yourself again and again.

How many 3 pointers did Larry Bird score? ›

During the game, Green passed Larry Bird on the all-time three-pointer list. Bird ended his 13-year career with 649 triples.

Did Larry Bird win a state championship in high school? ›

Bird got his start in a small Indiana town, where he led Springs Valley High School to the state sectional championship. Bird then led Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA national championship game, a watershed moment in basketball history.

Who was drafted ahead of Larry Bird? ›

Draft
RoundPickPlayer
13Rick Robey
14Micheal Ray Richardson+
15Purvis Short
16Larry Bird^
52 more rows

What made Larry Bird special? ›

He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. He was a 12-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times.

How did Larry Bird change the game of basketball? ›

He showed NBA teams that he can shoot the three-pointer off the dribble, get to the basket using his athleticism, while also getting out in transition and use his length on the defensive side of the ball to cause havoc.

Why did the Larry Bird leave IU? ›

Many tales have been told when it comes to why Bird left just weeks after his arrival. But Bird says there is really only one reason why he headed out to State Road 37 and hitchhiked home. “Financially I just couldn't stay. I just couldn't do it,” Bird said in the TNT interview.

How good was Larry Bird in college? ›

Bird lead Indiana State to a remarkable 81-13 record for the three years he was there. Along with an impressive 30 plus points per game average(fifth all-time). The highlight of Bird's college career had to be when he led his team to the NCAA Tournament Title Game in '79, which they lost to Michigan State.

How much did Larry Bird average in college? ›

Bird averaged 30.3 points per game in his three years at Indiana State and left the school as the fifth-leading scorer in NCAA history. He was voted college player of the year as a senior at ISU.

What rank is Larry Bird in the NBA? ›

The Celtics legend did it all during his 13-year career. Bird most notably won three NBA championships and three MVPs, but he also garnered many other awards and honors. A 2022 ranking of the top 75 NBA players of all time by The Athletic placed Bird as the seventh-best player in the history of the league.

How many points did Larry Bird score in his high school career? ›

Bird scored 1,125 career points for the Blackhawks. Ironically, the school's all-time leading boys scorer is Eddie Bird, Larry's younger brother, who scored 1,172.

How many points did Larry Bird have in the NCAA championship game? ›

Overall, the Spartans made 26 of their 43 shots. For the Sycamores, Bird was the team's leading scorer with 19 points, but missed on two-thirds of his 21 field goal attempts. Bird was also the top rebounder for either side in the game, recording 13 rebounds.

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