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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Justin Quinn

Larry Bird’s younger brother Eddie also played the sport – but never made the NBA

You might think having a superstar brother in the NBA might make things easier for you as a player, but the younger brother of Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird would not have agreed when he was playing collegiately. Eddie Bird played for Indiana State like his older brother, but things did not get off to a great start. “After the first few games here, Coach told me I was going to have to face up to the pressure, ignore it, go out and play my game,” said Eddie in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

“He told me to concentrate on defense, hit the boards harder, and do my best,” added the younger Bird. “He can`t escape the pressure,” suggested Indiana State head coach Ron Greene. “He has to overcome it or play something else.”

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“I keep telling him he`s just a freshman. And I`m sure when Larry was a freshman, he made some mistakes.”

‘I`m trying to get away from Larry, trying to be my own self. They say I act a lot like Larry. Maybe that`s why we don`t get along too good,” shared Eddie.

The younger of the Bird brothers never made the leap to the next level, but had a solid career at Indiana State, averaging 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 37.4% from deep.

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