Was Larry Bird the greatest trash talker ever? NBA icons Gary Payton and Byron Scott weigh in

Few players in basketball history had the kind of impact Larry Bird made during the 1980s in the NBA. Analysts often remember the Boston Celtics legend as one of the driving forces behind the league’s evolution during that era, especially because of his rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson. However, Gary Payton and Byron Scott pointed out a different trait of the former forward.

“He was just the biggest trash talker that I’ve ever seen,” said Scott in a January 2025 interview on All The Smoke. “Larry would talk (expletive) during the game. He tell you where he’s going, catch it, shot it. Jump, he tell you, ‘Man, your jump high, but you don’t jump that high.’”

But Scott emphasized that Bird didn’t just talk—he backed it up. “I guess it ain’t trash talking if you ain’t backing it up right. I’m saying he telling you what he going to do and he’s doing it. So, I guess it’s just him being a prophet and telling you exactly what he was going to do,” the former guard joked.

Byron also recalled some of the things the Boston legend used to say on the court to opponents: “’You better put a black guy on me,’ all that (expletive) is true, because he was like, ‘You disrespect me putting a white guy on me. Ain’t no white guy can guard me. You better put a brother on me.’ That’s how he was. And then they couldn’t do nothing with him.”

Still, among Lakers players, there was one who found a way to make things tough for Bird: Michael Cooper. “He said the only one that could was Coop,” Scott revealed. “He said Coop was the only one that could really guard him. He called him the best defensive player he’s ever seen.”

Byron Scott on Larry Bird’s talent

Scott had the chance to face Bird many times during those classic matchups between the Celtics and the Lakers. In fact, between entering the NBA in 1983 and leaving Los Angeles in 1993, Byron played in three Finals against Boston, winning two and losing one. That gave him firsthand insight into Bird’s greatness.

“I don’t think we give him enough credit for how great he was. Larry Bird was the real (expletive),” Byron said. “Larry Bird was one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen. He gotta be a top 10. He’s overlooked, just like anything else. Time has a way to make people forget about the past.”

Gary Payton also praises Bird

Another NBA icon who faced Bird was Gary Payton, early in his career with the Seattle SuperSonics while Larry was nearing retirement. “He was the coldest dude I’ve ever seen,” Payton said during a 2022 appearance on Uninterrupted. “Everybody be talking about this great greats and we always mentioning him. He was the (expletive). He’ll give it to you any way he wanted to. Larry Bird was cold.”

Gary also shared specific examples of what the Celtics legend would say to opponents during games: “Bird used to tell me, ‘Look here man, I’m gonna shoot this (expletive) jumper in your face right there in that corner and it’s gonna be your Christmas present. I’m gonna wrap it and bust your head open.’ All that (expletive).”