"I'm one of the fortunate who can" - Larry Bird on what makes him as great as MJ, Dominique, Isiah, and Magic

Upon entering the league, the likes of Michael Jordan , Dominque Wilkins, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas captivated fans with their unique skills.

MJ and Nique showed off their extraordinary athleticism, Magic wowed audiences with his no-look passes, and Thomas impressed them with his quickness.

Larry Bird also took the NBA by storm in a very different way. Unlike the aforementioned greats, Bird did not need athleticism to punish defenses and entertain basketball diehards.

Difference maker

The Indiana native knew he was not blessed with the physical gifts. He wasn't very quick, nor could he jump very high, but he still found a way to be dominant.

"I don't have the talent that Dominique has," Bird said in 1985, per The Washington Post. "Or the perfect way of doing everything like a Michael Jordan. Magic's awfully good; he can do a lot of things, the same with Isiah Thomas."

This self-awareness might be one of Bird's secret talents. The first step to becoming great is to know yourself—especially your weaknesses. The second step is to learn how to hide these liabilities and turn them into strengths.

"I just try to do whatever it takes," he added. "Some guys can compensate (for their deficiencies); some can't. I'm one of the fortunate who can."

The Boston Celtics icon averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists for his career. He couldn't fly like Jordan or Nique but had countless ways to score. As a mid-range assassin, Larry abused defenses with fadeaway shots, stepbacks, and post moves.

His 6-foot-9 frame was an advantage when snagging rebounds. However, Bird used more guile, perfect timing, and tenacity to crash the boards. When it came to playmaking, the 'Hick From French Lick' utilized his supreme basketball mind to see things before they happened.

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He could, if he wanted to

Interestingly, we might have never seen Bird's abilities in full effect. The three-time NBA Champion might have hidden his real athletic gifts during his playing career. A story by former Celtics Jeff Judkins from the 1977 World Games revealed that the three-time MVP had some serious hops .

"There was a big 7-foot-2 center from Russia," Judkins said . "He was a really good player, and I'm sitting on the bench with Larry, and he said, 'When I get in the game, I'm going to tell this guy I'm going to dunk in his face.'"

"As you well know, Larry doesn't jump that well, so that was a little interesting," Jeff continued. "He gets in the game and starts talking to this guy. He told him he was going to dunk in his face, and by dang it, he got the ball, drove down the lane, and dunked right in his face."

It's scary to think that Bird primarily scored through jumpers and layups, not because it was what the defense gave him, but because he wanted to. There might be tons of untold stories out there from former teammates about Larry throwing down some monster jams during practices or scrimmages. The legend of the Indiana native continues.

Related: "I can name several coaches who said he would never make it in the NBA." - Pete Maravich once gushed over Larry Bird being the best despite having evident flaws