Larry Bird: Breakdown of Top 5 Sports Card Sales (2024)

FAQs

Is Larry Bird a better player than LeBron James? ›

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. A great standing. How could a player ranked this high be considered underrated? LeBron James was listed as the second-best player in NBA history.

1980 Topps Larry Bird Rookie Card #34

The Larry Bird rookie card is so much more than just the first pro card of “Larry Legend.” It's one of the most essential and iconic basketball cards ever made.

Bird, who was a rookie when the NBA introduced the three-pointer in 1979-80, finished his career with 649 treys on 1,727 attempts (37.6%). He led the league in three-pointers made twice, with 82 in 1985-86 and 90 in 1986-87.

He proved it as an overachieving basketball player, and he proved it as a successful, unassuming NBA coach. Bird was one of those rare athletes who made everybody around him better. His uncanny passing, deadly shooting and anticipation defensively transformed losers into winners.

Larry Bird Thinks LeBron James Is Potentially The Best Player In NBA History. NBA great Larry Bird has received some consideration when it comes to debate about the best player in league history.

Bird & Jordan got along great during the NBA All-star games & when they were teammates on the USA's “Dream Team” of NBA All-Stars representing the 1992 Olympic Men's Basketball Gold Medal winning team.

George Herman Babe Ruths card from the set is the most valuable card of the 200-card set and is identified as the Bambinos rookie card. With only 10 cards in PSAs population, Ruths rookie card graded a PSA 6 is the most valuable 1916 M101-4 card ever acquired.

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were rookies in the 1979/1980 NBA season.

As the most popular and well-known of Michael Jordan's three recognized cards from his inaugural season with the Chicago Bulls, the 1986-87 Fleer #57 is considered his mainstream rookie card. It's a cornerstone of any Michael Jordan collection, and can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

Late career (1988–1992)

The 1987–88 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Bird shot 9-of-10 from the floor in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in that quarter and lifting the Celtics to a series-clinching victory.

What ended Larry Bird's career? ›

Larry Bird dominated the NBA landscape in the 1980s, but his reign came to an end in the early '90s, perhaps a few years earlier than planned due to a bad back (though he was 35 at this point too).

Larry Bird is widely respected for his rivalry with Magic Johnson and for saving the NBA during its darkest days. Despite being responsible for that, Bird never even wanted his Celtics teammates to give him star treatment. Apparently, Bird asked his teammates to do that, and he loved it.

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. An obsessive perfectionist, Bird was idolized by Celtic fans and basketball purists of all allegiances.

Bird was a better scorer, outside shooter and rebounder than Johnson, but Johnson had the upper hand in the passing department. He averaged 10.5 assists per game or more nine times in his career, and he is arguably the best passer in NBA history.

“One of my favorite players in the NBA right now is T.J. McConnell,” James said. “McConnell is like Draymond (Green) as a point guard.” Green has been a staple with Golden State for over a decade, winning four NBA championships with the Warriors.

Bird was a three-time MVP while winning three NBA championships. Durant won two titles while teaming with Stephen Curry on the Golden State Warriors but only has one MVP. Arenas said Bird benefitted from playing in a weaker era, even suggesting the league was littered with drug addicts.

Other Larry Bird teammates like Dennis Johnson, Cedric Maxwell, and Danny Ainge were instrumental in title runs alongside Bird as well. Lest we forget Larry Bird teammates such as, Bill Walton, Pete Maravich, Tiny Archibald, and Dave Cowens who are among some the best NBA players of all time.