Who Is Larry Bird? Age, Biography and Wiki
Larry Bird, born on December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Indiana, is a former professional basketball player who had a monumental career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As of 2025, Bird is 68 years old. He is famously known for his time with the Boston Celtics, where he skyrocketed to fame in the 1980s. His accolades include three NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, and a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bird’s influence extends beyond the court, as he has also made significant contributions as a coach and executive in the sport.
| Occupation | Basketball Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 7, 1956 |
| Age | 68 Years |
| Birth Place | West Baden Springs, Indiana, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | India |
Popularity
Larry Bird's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Larry Bird stands tall at 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) and during his playing days, his weight was typically around 220 lbs (100 kg). Bird’s impressive physique, combined with his exceptional basketball IQ, allowed him to dominate the game. Despite being retired for decades, his legacy in terms of fitness and sharpness of mind continues to shine.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Larry Bird is known to be a private individual when it comes to his personal life. He has been married twice: his first marriage to Dinah Mattingly in 1989, and they adopted two children, named Conner and Mariah. Although Bird has largely steered clear of the public eye in his later years, he maintains a close relationship with his family. As of 2025, Bird is reportedly still married to Dinah Mattingly, although there have been rumors about various relationships in the past that he has neither confirmed nor denied.
Bird was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day." Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe committed suicide in February 1975.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Larry Bird's net worth is estimated to be around $75 million. His wealth comes not only from his successful NBA career but also from various business ventures, endorsements, and broadcasting deals. Additionally, Bird has ventured into coaching and has served as an executive, further solidifying his financial success in the sport.
Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. He did not sign with the Celtics immediately; instead, Bird played out his final season at Indiana State and led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game.
Celtics general manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more than any Celtic on the current roster, but Bird's agent Bob Woolf told Auerbach that Bird would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the 1979 draft instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Bird would have been the li
kely top pick.
After protracted negotiations, he signed a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the team on June 8, making Bird the highest-paid rookie in sports history. Shortly afterwards, NBA draft eligibility rules were changed to prevent teams from drafting players before they were ready to sign, a rule known as the Bird Collegiate Rule.
Career, Business and Investments
Larry Bird’s career in basketball is legendary, sprawling over a decade from 1979 to 1992. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, leading the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals in 2000. In addition to coaching, Bird has held executive roles, including the Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, where he helped shape the franchise's future.
Outside of basketball, Bird has been involved in various business endeavors, including partnerships with companies like Nike, McDonald’s, and Coca-Cola. His acumen in business affairs has only added to his impressive portfolio.
Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, Bird was a local basketball star. Highly recruited, he initially signed to play college basketball for coach Bob Knight of the Indiana Hoosiers. However, Bird dropped out after one month and returned to French Lick and attended a local college.
The next year, he attended Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. Selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after his second year at Indiana State, Bird elected to stay in college and returned for the 1978–79 season. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season.
The season finished with a national championship game match-up of Indiana State against Michigan State and featured a highly anticipated match-up of Bird against Michigan State great Magic Johnson, thus beginning a career-long rivalry that the two shared for over a decade. Michigan State won, ending the Sycamores' undefeated streak.
Social Network
Larry Bird is not extensively active on social media compared to younger athletes, but he maintains a presence on platforms like Twitter and Instagram. His posts mainly comprise throwback pictures from his playing days, family moments, and occasional insights into basketball analysis.
The 1987–88 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Bird shot 9-of-10 from the floor in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in that quarter and lifting the Celtics to a series-clinching victory. Bird finished with 34 points.
His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. I couldn't miss. He couldn't miss. And it went down to the last shot of the game. Who was going to make the last shot?
That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals.
Education
Bird attended Indiana State University, where he played college basketball from 1976 to 1979. Under Coach Bill Hodges, he led the Sycamores to the NCAA championship game, earning national attention. His time at Indiana State not only honed his athletic skills but also solidified his work ethic and dedication, traits that would define his basketball career.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports." Their rivalry began in college, when Bird and Indiana State lost to Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. Their rivalry continued on in the revived Celtics–Lakers rivalry in the NBA.
Either the Celtics, led by Bird, or the Lakers, led by Magic, were present in every NBA Finals series in the '80s, with Bird and Magic meeting thrice. Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984.
