Legendary Boston Celtics small forward Larry Bird retired on Aug. 18, 1992 after a career spanning 13 seasons, citing chronic pain from a bad back that made him unable to contribute at a level the iconic Celtic demanded of himself.
During his Hall of Fame NBA career, the Hick From French Lick (as he was known affectionately) played for one team — Boston — and won three championships and as many MVP honors. He was elected to 12 All-Star teams (winning All-Star MVP once), 10 All-NBA teams and many other honors. On the day of his retirement, Larry Legend (another popular nickname) held a press conference to announce the end of his storied career, and it lasted over 45 minutes.
In it, Bird explained his reasoning to cushion the blow to faithful fans and recounted his time with the team from the day he first stepped on the court as a Celtic.
Watch the video embedded above to see the press conference in its entirety, a real piece of Boston’s and NBA history.
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