Larry Bird 10 Greatest Shooters

Produced for Geico and broadcast on CBS

[@chyoli6220]

"He did things that nobody else ever had done, did do, or will ever do again." - Bill Walton

[@alan30189]

Not just an outstanding shooter, but an outstanding pinpoint passer as well. It was like he had a pair of eyes in each side and the back of his head. Incredible.

[@chyoli6220]

"He was the best deep shooter that I've ever seen." - Rollie Massimino

[@spactick]

Walton's always praising the skills of others without ever mentioning the fact that he was the greatest passing center that ever played the game. No one's even close

[@neilzinn8145]

Sabonis, Jokic?

[@me3ksdagoat279]

@@neilzinn8145 that's about a 30 season gap before they came to the league lol

[@hernje]

Larry Bird and Michael Jordan... Anyone who grew up in that era was truly blessed.

[@spactick]

grow up? I hope I never 'grow up'

[@scottflipiak614]

Larry could Do It All🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

[@robertswift6101]

as a sophomore he averaged over 40 pts the last 15 games,,,,talk about sick...smh,,I cant even imagine how great he was to do that back then,,,,scary good

[@patriciaotoole5930]

He had such graceful hands when he took a shot

[@mhjb0034]

No one can compare to Larry.

[@onlee49ers76]

Larry birds on my all-time starting 5 list for sure

[@arautus]

He is an easy starting five, especially when he is the greatest clutch player in history.

[@michaelulbricht9438]

Highest Basketball IQ ever combined with a cold blooded assassin. It was impossible to watch him in a game and not swear. Larry's a one-off.

[@doule76]

bill walton is hilarious. the deep voice, the speaking flow.could listen to him for hours;_)

[@pretorious700]

one in a million eye-hand coordination

[@chyoli6220]

"Does he ever miss?!" - shouted by the commentator as Larry Bird made yet another shot.

[@domais68]

There are a few nearly forgotten great shooters in the NBA. Larry is a legend so he'll always be a household name. A few examples of great shooters of the past: Dale Ellis, Abdul-Rauf, Tim Legler, Craig Hodges, Steve Kerr, Mark Price, (and his brother) Vinny Johnson and Jeff Hornacek. ( just a few) I went to a Sonics' game when I was a young kid and counted Dale Ellis making 26 3-pointers in a row before the game. I couldn't believe it!

[@jjs777fzr]

+james lachs and as Bird fan the only thing I took away was Dale Ellis and something about 3-pointers....and then remembering Bird beat him in the three point contest. Well...maybe it wasn't a contest but he beat him anyways. Sorry...no hate just a fan. Yeah the microwave was a great shooter - probably one of the most incredible shooters - when he got hot yeah he was hot there was no missing. But just like a microwave its either on or off and when he was off he couldn't hit the backboard. Larry had incredible consistency.

[@Amick44]

Vinnie was very tough. Yes an incredible streak shooter. But he didn't have Larry or Dale's range.

[@mhjb0034]

Nobody can not compare to Larry Bird.

[@dannielaguirre]

Larry Bird and Ray Allen are the Kings of the Boston Celtics Shooters

[@staceyhorton228]

Larry Legend!!!! Don't understand the haters but they can't argue with greatness!!! People that want to involve his family better defend other players off the court!! Family isn't easy no matter who you are!!! This is about basketball & Larry is the best in heart soul dedication & want to win!!!! Gave it is all & then some!!! People who criticize someone else's family better be perfect or know the truth!!! Doubt the haters are either!!!

[@josefasevilla1654]

That's so spot on.

[@rogerginn1801]

Larry Bird, “Cold Blooded Assassin”

[@mrho4speed]

Great to see Bird recognized as greatest shooter. Some will argue Pete Maravich but Bird's shooting % was 53 vs Maravich at 43. That is a very significant stat!! Pete was the greatest scorer at 44 per game and great to watch but Bird's all around game was incredible. Neither player had the 3-point line and its too bad because their numbers would have been staggering. Most dominant college player ever has to be Lew Alcindor, but Bird is the best skilled all around.

[@DouglasJBender]

Or as if basketball had been invented for Larry Bird.

[@ReklawLah]

awesome video!

[@tamilashultz9194]

Something that many younger people don't know is that back in the day your height and weight were measured when you declared for the draft and then that was what was listed forever. Today the NBA will update these stats over the course of the players career. Larry entered the draft at 6'9" and 230 pounds, but he wasn't finished growing. He grew another inch and at his peek he was 260 pounds. You can tell that he's taller and much bigger than Magic, who is listed as 6'9" and 215 pounds.

[@MrNaturalSez]

... and a young Bobby Knight let him walk without missing a beat.

[@brentowens33]

Larry is the man

[@damomand]

Indiana state those years with Bird remind me of a Davidson college team with Stephen Curry. Of course he never let Davidson to the national championship but as far as reliance on one guy, those two teams are similar.

[@JimMalmPHOTO]

Bill Walton beat his stuttering problem and hasn't stopped talking since.

[@mrho4speed]

The photo at 3:47 with the basketballs (multiple exposures) is inside the sports illustrated issue with Bird on the cover as "college basketball's secret weapon" from November 28, 1977 on page 42. But be prepared to pay plenty for an issue, as this has been a collector's item for a long time!

[@Colstonewall]

One of my favorite stories is Bill Walton taking Bird and McHale to a Dead Show, lol. In the video for 'Touch Of Grey', the drummer is wearing a Celts Jacket Walton gave him, if I'm not mistaken.

[@GamingStopCentral]

Bird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ubuu777]

Who cares what he did off the court......He's Larry Bird!

[@josefasevilla1654]

Damn right!

[@suntmatei]

"Glad Tidings" is the Van Morrison song

[@bigdaddywbl]

Walton annoys me. His hyperbole is distractingly absurd. Bird was not slow for a big man, especially when he was younger. He wasn't a leaper, but he could get up and dunk just fine. He was no Larry Nance, but I'm not sure he lacked anything athletically from the average 6'9 230 lbs. power forwards of his era.

[@gcash666]

He annoys me too but he seems nice and like he REALLY loves basketball lol

[@Amick44]

Well said, bigdaddy. Bird came up slower than many SF's, but not PF's. I would say he had average jumping ability until his back and achilles problems. And at 6'9, that was often plenty.

[@tubewatcher38]

+bigdaddywbl I agree Walton gets carried away, but Bird was well below the average nba forwards of his era in speed & jumping. At the bottom compared to shooting forwards & a little higher vs. power forwards. But he was also bigger & stronger than many of the small forwards who guarded him & quicker & more agile than most of the power forwards.

[@davidberger2069]

I agree. Larry Bird was physically strong, he couldn't drive to the basket like Lebron, big deal. Wayne Gretzky was physically tougher and faster than he's given credit for, because he's game was so clever, like Bird. I don't believe I'm being crazy saying the two athletes have a lot of similarities.

[@Amick44]

No doubt. I would say until Bird had the back and achilles' issues, he was an average leaper. Yes, he was short on speed, but he had decent jumping ability until the ailments kicked in.

[@SoreThumbSociety]

Crazy thing is, he would have been even better if he had been able to harness the advances today in sports nutrition and weight training.

[@CianMcCabe98]

He was all 10

[@BrendanOC]

Whats the name of the Van Morrison song as well as the Earth Wind and Fire song?

[@MrNaturalSez]

Not EW&F but Marvin Gaye's 'Got To Give It Up'? VM is 'Glad Tidings'

[@davidberger2069]

Wayne Gretzky and Bird are similar. Gretzky wasn't the fastest by any means. Mental quickness or, the game slowed down for them.

[@joeyjo-joshabadu9636]

people forget that Bird had good size though.

[@Yoni123]

was he #1

[@Bigturns33]

It just didnt matter if you were in his face. Larry would just tell ya, swish

[@johncraftenworth7847]

What separates a good shooter from a great shooter? It's the soft touch, rotation and arch. Notice how softly his shots hit the rim, he got lots of rim shots to drop because of that soft touch! Also he had the ability to alter his shot to get one off where others might not, and could still make it...he had a feel for any shot he took, even the weird ones! Now is curry a better shooter? from 3 pointer sure, so was mark price and some others. But from inside to midrange to outside, Bird was probably the best.

[@MrBiglode1]

Lbird Is Inspiration.

[@NotToBeTakenAway]

I came here for the basketball, and stayed for the basketball but hey! The Who :D

[@brettamfraser]

Marvin Gaye- Got To Give It Up

[@FavreianVengeance]

There will never be a better player, only imposters. Cough Jordan. Cough Dirk.

[@isaachaze1]

i might be mistaken also, but i'm pretty sure the dead were big basketball fans. i think i have a dead olympics b-ball shirt that they designed themselves somewhere, but i would have to really hunt for it because it was a LONG time ago (it's tidyed) . yea, that seems like something walton would do lol (taking them to a dead show).

[@tipdub]

what i want to know is: what's the song that plays from 3:21 on?

[@lucm159]

funny to see bird laugh

[@mahad7491]

3:47 Does anybody know where I can find this picture at?

[@TheMimetolithman]

GOAT' not Even close

[@Schoolboy681]

Absolutely the GOAT!

[@MrVSaxAndCrew]

broken ankles at :46

[@93Willis93]

Whats the song at 1:50 and on? someone please tell me

[@MrBiglode1]

clint eastwood is the best shooter Ive ever seen....period!!!!

[@josefasevilla1654]

Lol!

[@josephvitielo1693]

No the Rifleman Chuck Conners a former Celtic

[@Dr.Henry-DC]

wow

[@robertcalkins4979]

Is the song at 1:36 van morrison?

[@beatcavs09]

10,000th view

[@masanf9398]

@michaelfrichard He came into the league in 1974; Bird's rookie year started in 1979. That isn't seven years.

[@unowen334]

Do you hear the soundtrack? It's by The Who.

[@Philippe1613]

Bill Walton would know! Freeman Williams was the greatest deep shooter I ever saw. He came out of Portland State the same year as Bird.

[@BacalaoBrad]

You my friend , know basketball . Freeman Williams ... haven't heard that name in a long while ! How about Downtown Freddie Brown and World B. Free . Man I love great shooters ! Bird was my favorite .

[@Amick44]

bluefishbrad Downtown Fred Brown = best shooter of the 70's.Dynamite off the bench for those tough Sonic teams.

[@Philippe1613]

+bluefishbrad Saw Brown a lot. Great shooter! However I've never seen a player like Freeman Williams who always had the green light to shoot. Not only could he shoot and shoot with range...I saw him play in the old PSU gym and hit game shots after having taken only a couple steps over the mid court line...Then again he could slash to the hoop like a whirling dervish. Pretty sure he's still second all time behind "Pistol.'

[@Amick44]

+Philippe Sauvie Freeman was fun to watch. Don't think he was as consistent as Brown and some others. But yeah, he could get hot and had excellent range. Esp in his day, when the 3 wasn't emphasized anywhere near like today. I believe he is 2nd behind Pistol in all time collegiate scoring.

[@Ps3unholyassault]

:O 67 in a row... sheesh bird those are some high expectations. lol

[@slomo1562]

Sorry Bill Walton but Larry Bird out ran you all day every day. As for jumping, Larry never jumped an inch higher than he needed to but there are plenty of videos of Larry ducking as jumped from one side of the hoop to the other under the back board just to score a lay up.

[@Rottidog68]

"Probably the single most dominant player in college basketball." I'd say Kareem is. As much as Larry is my favorite player, Kareem is head & shoulders (literally) above everyone else for college basketball.

[@hicks727]

didn't hurt to be 6'9

[@MonkeyRWAR]

real men in the NBA died when johnson and bird retired

[@pathammer1685]

Sure wish there was no 3 point line. Better yet, move it back five feet with no shot from corners

[@bigworm3204]

Thumbs up if you have a "juggle" vain

[@michaelfrichard]

@dal4018 He was in the league SEVEN YRS before Bird!!!!!!!

[@BryanX64]

@chatarapha Yeah cuz Wilt got 90% his shots close to the rim/dunks.

[@egaines54]

cheating on ur wife nd gamblin dnt necessarily make u a bad prsn

[@TheSuspect28]

he would have won the golf game if the looney tunes didn't help mj

[@BryanX64]

@Ps3unholyassault Not too hard if you practice :P

[@RobynHode8]

"Single most dominant player in college basketball in the last 35 years." LOL Lew Alcindor.

[@thosrobert]

Sorry, but UCLA would have been a great team without Alcindor. He played with 5 guys who would go on to fairly successful NBA careers. ISU was Bird and a bunch of scrubs. Bird was the most dominant college player ever because he handled the ball every time down the court. He ran the offense. I saw both of them play in college. More was expected of Bird.

[@baseball90242]

Thos Robert still not as dominant as the sky hook

[@jeffbarnes19fg76]

+Thos Robert Agree 100%

[@tubewatcher38]

+Joe Gates Alcindor & Walton played more than 35 years ago in college. Bird too.

[@Colstonewall]

Alcindor was on STACKED Teams, Bird was not. Without Bird, that ISU Team wouldn't have even made the tournament, much less make it to the Championship game undefeated.

[@RickDanner]

I don't get it who are the ten greatest shooters?

[@MISAMEscobar]

@toadman842 Fo real? I find that kind of inconsiderate of them by playing this song, cuz i heard his Dad killed himself.

[@indiandrizzy]

Thats a lie hes the 11th

[@YusufSaidCANBAZ]

It seemed to me Stephen Curry is better than Bird

[@monolithgeometry3221]

BAAAHAAAHAAA WE'LL NEVER KNOW CUZ HE'LL NEVER HAVE TO FACE * DEFENSE * BaaaHAAAAAHHAAA

[@tdubbcdman]

bill walton is unbearable. if i had to listen to him for hours my ears would be bleeding

[@donesy125]

Bill Walton is a weird dude lol he needs to lay off the drugs

[@kaylafarrell8326]

bill walton: the most overrated NBA player in history.....

[@bobby33x97]

+kayla farrell Yea, but he's got two rings in the pros & two from college; not too many people on earth can make that statement. Plus, he may have been the best passing big man ever...him or Wilt.

[@tubewatcher38]

+kayla farrell Walton at his best was as dominant a two-way player as anyone ever, with more fundamentals than anyone (for their position). And that's not just my opinion.

[@bobby33x97]

tubewatcher38 "The big fundamental" might disagree...nevertheless, Kareem is the greatest Center ever.

[@jjs777fzr]

+kayla farrell I'm thinking you are a little off on this one. Walton if nothing else was dominant in his era minus the injury's. And as a great passer he really knew how to play the game. I hate what if's but IF Walton was even close to healthy in '86 that Celtics team would have gone down as the one of the top 3 best teams ever to be assembled.

[@tubewatcher38]

vince33x Bill Russell is the g.o.a.t.

[@246kram]

Ask the NBA greats who the GOAT is. Their answers would vary, but NONE of them would mention Larry Bird, who couldn't guard anyone except the other teams least offensive threat. By the way, Mr. Walton, Larry had the same combine stats as Karl Malone. So stop saying he wasn't athletic. Ps, as the players who the smartest player was...answer..Michael Jordan While you're at it..look up highest percentage and most game winning shots...again..not Larry Bird Birds 3 point shooting rank , by percentage...not even in the top 100 So let's STOP with all the WHITE BIAS BIRD HYPE!

[@gregcamp4290]

Maybe you need to go look at the videos....they dont lie....

[@246kram]

Wasn't even in the top 100 of best ( percentage wise) three point shooters. Couldn't defend any of the elite small forwards of his time. Wilkins..Erving..Pippen..Bernard King..etc al.. never had to guard any of these guys, because he couldn't. Nor Karl Malone..Tim Duncan..etc No GOAT in my book. When Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (among others) say that Steph Curry is the " best shooter they've ever seen " , you need to listen!