Larry Bird wasn't one to talk about off-the-court matters, but he once expressed his candid thoughts after noticing that the NBA players had gone "soft." The way "Larry Legend" sliced it, that sudden change in the league began with his fellow legends Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas.
According to Bird, the friendship between Magic and Zeke softened the association, which was supposed to be the most competitive league in the world. Larry further pointed out that he viewed the public displays of affection between Johnson and Thomas back in their time as a stark contrast to the tough and gritty nature of NBA basketball.
"It was Magic and Isiah hugging and kissing before that [1988 NBA Finals] game," Bird said with obvious disgust in 1999. "That changed this whole league. That's all that goes on now. It's a lovefest. It's like Woodstock in 1969, everyone huggin' and kissin.'"
"I tell guys, 'I know I'm a little different than you guys, but I could never even speak to an opponent,'" he stressed. "I never could even look at him. Rick Robey was my best friend when I came into the league, but after he got traded I wouldn't have anything to do with him. Now you see these guys, they get beat by 25, they're out there hugging, talking, it's sickening. This is supposed to be a competitive league."
Larry takes pride in playing in a tough NBA era
In all fairness to Bird's unfiltered comments about Magic and Thomas, he has earned the right to criticize any signs of softness in the NBA as he played and dominated in a tough era.
During his time with the Boston Celtics , "The Hick from French Lick" wasn't one of the most athletic players in the league. However, he outmatched his rivals with his fearlessness, mental toughness, and basketball IQ.
For Bird, the game has become so soft over the years that he is certain nobody from the modern NBA could withstand the physicality of his era .
"It made him real happy to call us soft and tell us that none of us would survive in the old NBA [laughs]," former NBA player Damjan Rudez once said of Bird in an exclusive interview.
Today's game is softer but more entertaining
Despite despising softness, Bird likes how the league has continuously evolved in terms of playing style. In his opinion, today's NBA may be softer compared to the era he played in, but nobody can deny that it is more entertaining than ever before.
In fact, Bird even once named his favorite modern NBA players to watch and reckoned, "I love the game now, I like where it's at."
Related: "It's funny how the game has changed" - Why Larry Bird isn't convinced that his era is the greatest in basketball history
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