Never known to keep his tongue in his pocket, Dennis Rodman notably had a stormy relationship with Larry Bird during his career. And even in retirement, The Worm continues to bash the legend of the Celtics… But his last outing brought down a Hall of Famer who wanted to set the record straight.
Larry Bird is a name that is known to all basketball fans. A winger capable of doing everything in attack, endowed with absolutely legendary trash-talking and who knew how to plant decisive shots like few players in the history of the orange ball. You don’t just average 25 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in your career, after all.
During the 13 seasons in which he was active on the courts of the big league, the number 33 of the Celtics made everyone miserable, especially in the Eastern Conference. We think of Michael Jordan during his young years but also of the Pistons of the 80s, led by Isiah Thomas or even Dennis Rodman who was playing the same position at the time. If the latter was an elite defender, he often tasted against Larry Legend!
Renowned for his unfailing outspokenness, Rodzilla has therefore retained a certain resentment towards the three-time champion and therefore never hesitates to hit the latter. A few weeks ago, he declared that Bird simply wouldn’t fit in today’s league. Shocking remarks given the iconic status of the person concerned and which irritated Dominique Wilkins, the latter lighting up the interior in an interview with Vlad TV :
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Furious, Dominique Wilkins loses control over Larry Bird
I have a lot of respect for Dennis, I know him well, he’s a good guy, but it’s nonsense. Larry Bird could play in any era and do the same thing he does in ours. Today’s players couldn’t stop him. That’s all.
Contemporary of Rodman and Bird, the Hawks legend knows what he is talking about. And it’s not the only debate about the three-time Finals MVP that annoys him…
Indeed, having never been an overathlete like some of his peers, Bird could have struggled defensively and even overall athletically. In an era where physical monsters abound, this would worry some like JJ Redick but Wilkins is hardly of this opinion. It is true that when we see Luka Doncic shine as he does, imagining the Bostonian destroying everything in 2023 is not an illusion and the ex-dunker therefore shattered the ESPN analyst:
He’s stupid. It’s stupid because Larry Bird played in the most physical era ever. He’s 2m07, almost 2m11, and he was a physical player himself. Saying he couldn’t play in this league because it’s too physical, but what league are you watching? The physical game is gone, it’s not like it used to be, and it’s no one’s fault, it’s just that times are changing, and for JJ Redick to say things like that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. ‘ve never heard.
Dominique Wilkins has no doubt about it, Larry Bird would have been just as good in the 2020s as he was during his career. It is true that between his versatile side and his above-average basketball IQ, the Hall of Famer would certainly have been able to overcome his physical shortcomings. We’re talking about Larry Legend, after all.
2024-03-17 21:20:00
#lot #respect #Dennis #Rodman #Larry #Bird
