When Julius Erving was at the tail end of his career, Larry Bird was emerging as the NBA's next basketball star. As the upcoming face of the league, he received much attention from the media and fans.
The Indiana native wasn't really fond of this new stature. For him, the NBA picked him up to play hard-nosed basketball for 48 minutes. Off-court things were just extraneous matters to the Boston Celtics icon.
Passing of the torch
Bird observed that Erving's superstar status prompted him to engage in things not necessarily related to basketball. The forward, aware of the strain it might have caused Dr. J, vowed not to chart the same path.
"Doc said that he never asked to be Mr. Everything, that people put him in that situation," Bird said in 1985, per the Washington Post. "I won't let that happen to me. I think you should do what you do best as long as you can, and that's it. They'll ask more, the league, but I don't want to give my time to the NBA."
Larry, who was then in his sixth year in the NBA, also clarified that his loyalty belongs to the Celtics. He was only friends with his coaches, teammates, and the front office. Kodak also disliked pretending to be friendly with the referees and then getting furious at them later on.
"I don't work for the NBA; I work for the Boston Celtics," Bird continued. "I don't even like being the captain, shakin' hands with the refs and askin' 'em how's their family, then be out there cussing them out an hour later."
It sounds like a trivial matter, but for no. 33, an ultimate competitor, it meant a lot. Such courteous pleasantries with the referees are part of his team captain and league ambassador job. But if the three-time league MVP is concerned, he's out there to 'kill' and not to make friends.
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Love for the game
Bird, who already had two NBA Championships on his resume, was also concerned that Dr. J's stature made it difficult to enjoy playing ball. The young Celtic knew he could experience the same.
"I heard Julius say that it's harder for him to get enthusiastic about games," Bird said. "I hope that never happens to me. I eat, sleep, and drink basketball 24 hours a day. I hope I never lose that."
From the looks of it, Bird never lost his passion for the game. Even when back injuries slowed him down, the Hick from French Lick kept on playing and finding ways to guide his team to victories. After his playing career, Larry Legend had a respectable three-year coaching stint. Afterward, he became a team executive of the Indiana Pacers, his hometown team, and led them to unprecedented heights.
Related: "It felt like a train in the middle of old Boston Garden" - Reggie Miller on the greatest Larry Bird performance he ever witnessed
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