Larry Bird is arguably the most prolific NBA player who was involved in trash-talking. He always got into his opponents’ heads because he knew what to say to trigger their emotions and even frustrations.
He did not have a specific group of players he targeted because every player caught some strays from Larry Legend. A player who grew up watching Larry was a promising star, Chris Webber , who told a story about Bird and how the veteran talked trash to him before the clash between the 1992 Dream Team and the Select Team.
“I just remember my first day, getting off the plane and I see a sign that says a sign saying Mr. Bird and Mr. Webber. I was like ‘No way.’ I get in the car, and it’s Larry f*****g Bird, ” Webber said on Green Light with Chris Long. “When we get out, he doesn’t say much, but when we go out, he goes, ‘I hope you get your sleep tonight ‘cause I’m gonna bust your ass tomorrow.’ I didn’t know what to say, but this is a moment you have to say something.”
Webber saw it as a sign of respect
Bird has always been the gold standard for smack talkers in the NBA. He loves getting into his opponents’ heads to throw them off their game and demoralize them by making one unbelievable shot after the other. Larry did this multiple times across his career, as he was known for calling out every move he planned on making and doing it anyway despite the defense being aware of it.
He is in the highest tier of players who talk trash because he can get into players’ skin with a few words. Thankfully for Webber, that is not the case because he saw right through what Bird was saying. It was trash talk, but it also showed a good amount of respect, considering Webber was only entering the NBA.
Any level headed basketball player would feel honored to be Larry’s chosen target. The Select Team won the matchup against the Dream Team , so Webber got the last laugh against Bird. However, the discourse around that game has said that the Dream Team was not playing seriously, while Webber and his teammates played their hearts out to prove themselves.
Webber ended up having a good NBA career
After wrapping up with the Dream Team, Webber played his final year with Michigan. He would then get picked first during the 1993 Draft, kicking off a superb career. He bounced around the league but found his home with the Sacramento Kings as the superstar who could compete with the best.
Unfortunately, Webber did not have the most successful career because he could not win a championship. He had individual accolades as a five-time All-Star and a five-time member of the All-NBA Team. Webber thrived in almost every team he played for since he was always motivated to prove his doubters wrong, just like how he beat Larry Bird and Team USA during the lead-up to the 1992 Olympics.
Related: "When you gonna let these people know you're a black guy from Indiana?" - John Salley on Larry Bird's trash-talking prowess
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