Most professional athletes have a story. Each of them has their own unique path. Some have an easy path and others have a tough journey. Larry Birds path motivated him to play collegiate basketball and his humility made him one of the most respected players in the history of the NBA (National Basketball Association). Larry Bird was raised in the small town of French Lick, Indiana. He was brought up by his mother, Georgia and his father, Claude. He was accompanied by two older brothers and an older sister. They were a very poor family living in a poor community where hard labor was needed just to get by. His dad held two jobs while his mother worked as a waitress. Growing up his family loved basketball. His small town embraced the atmosphere …show more content…
For white basketball junkies in Boston and all over the country, Larry Bird was proof that the white man could still compete in modern basketball. Many white basketball fans looked to Bird as their hero and their “white savior”. Fans from all around the world knew about the “hick from French Lick”. Instead of skillset and undisciplined athletes, Larry wanted to focus on the old way where teams were defined by character and hard work. Larry however, did not accept the role as the “white savior”. He saw no difference between himself and black players in the NBA. Because of his humility towards racial diversity in the NBA, all races began to respect Larry Bird. In this sense, Larry changed the way spectators viewed basketball. In order to succeed, teams don’t need every piece to the puzzle. They don’t have to have all black players or all white players. As long as the group worked hard and had shown good character, every team could have a chance to be victorious. During his time with the Boston Celtics his leadership began to pay off. He won three NBA titles, two Finals Most Valuable Player awards and three Player of the Year awards. However, all these accomplishments were topped by one award that was very special to Larry. In a magazine titled SportsNews, Bird was named Man of the Year. This award summed up Bird as a player on and off the court. ( Jefferey Lane,