Long before LeBron James came up, Larry Bird was considered by most as the greatest small forward in NBA history. His rare combination of shooting, footwork, playmaking, and defense made him a treat to watch.
And, while some still may argue that Bird's unique skill set, trash-talking, and impact on the game make him the best in that position, the consensus is that James has now taken that distinction away from him.
Notably, even the Boston Celtics legend may feel that way. Apparently, he never wanted to trade for any of LeBron's teammates as he always thought it was The King who made them look good on the court.
NBA News: Larry Bird Refused To Trade For LeBron James' Teammates
“[Former Pacers’ GM David] Morway was trying to get me to trade for them [J.J. Hickson and a selection of other teammates of James], but I ain’t takin’ any of them f**king guys up there,” Bird said, per Ian Thomsen’s book, The Soul of Basketball. “I said ‘you don’t understand son. Them guys playing with LeBron James look a whole lot better than what they really are.'”
Bird Has Always Been A Fan Of LeBron
Moreover, Thomsen claims that Bird was a huge admirer of LeBron's game. Per the book, Larry Legend was often in awe when watching James take the floor, even when people ripped him for not winning an NBA championship:
(Transcript via The Soul of Basketball)
"So Larry Bird, the greatest small forward before LeBron – a legend – he’s like one of those T.V. cameras watching Bill Belichick on the sideline the whole time or something. He’s watching LeBron. He’s fascinated by this guy.
That was a revelation to me. Because the world is looking at LeBron like he’s a failure at that time. He hasn’t won. He’s underachieved. And Larry isn’t buying any of it. He sees what LeBron is, and what he can be."
Now, James has climbed all the way to the second spot in the all-time scorers' list and has piled up nearly every single accolade an NBA player could achieve. Clearly, Bird's eye for talent didn't fail.
