But it is a black man’s game, and it will be forever. — Larry Bird

Basketball was always a game to me. One of the greatest things in life for me was to be able to play what I loved dearly and get paid for it. So it was always a game to me and that’s how I perceived everything. — Larry Bird

It’s just amazing how these guys are playing the game today. i couldn’t be more proud of them. the game’s in a good place. — Larry Bird

When I was a kid, like 14 or 15, I played with the waiters from the hotel, ’cause that was the best game. And these guys, they’d let me play. And they were black guys. — Larry Bird

I think you have to work very hard and dedicate yourself and have the respect of your teammates before you’re about to go out and just try to take a game over by yourself. — Larry Bird

As far as playing, I didn’t care who guarded me–red, yellow, black. I just didn’t want a white guy guarding me, because it’s disrespect to my game. — Larry Bird

In the closing seconds of every game, I want the ball in my hands for the last shot–not in anybody else’s, not in anybody else’s in the world. — Larry Bird

I’ve always been interested in jobs in the NBA. But I’ve been in this for 20 years and it might be time to do something else. — Larry Bird

The best players will play. That’s the way it will always be. — Larry Bird

Michael Jordan is God disguised as a basketball player. — Larry Bird

My goal was just to try and be the best player on my high school team, and look where I am now. And that was still my goal as a young kid, just to try and be a little better than my brother was. — Larry Bird

The best player I ever played with was Dennis Johnson. — Larry Bird

Who in their right mind wouldn’t listen to what Larry Bird tells them? He knows what it takes to be a successful player, and he’s letting us do the things to have the success. — Larry Bird

When I was a player, I didn’t expect my teammates to play the way I did. I did expect them to work hard every day and get better. And I never learned anything by losing. — Larry Bird

Guys like Larry Bird––he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That’s not unreasonable. Any coach would want that and demand that. — Larry Bird

I wasn’t real quick, and I wasn’t real strong. Some guys will just take off and it’s like, whoa. So I beat them with my mind and my fundamentals. — Larry Bird

The one thing that always bothered me when I played in the NBA was I really got irritated when they put a white guy on me. — Larry Bird

If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she’d get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at the bank. I don’t mean she wouldn’t pay the bank, but the children always came first. — Larry Bird

It makes me sick when I see a guy just stare at a loose ball and watch it go out of bounds. — Larry Bird

It doesn’t matter who scores the points, it’s who can get the ball to the scorer. — Larry Bird

When I was a kid, I never thought about anything. Never had to think about where I was going to school or what I was going to do. I just lived minute to minute. — Larry Bird

When it gets down to it, basketball is basketball. — Larry Bird

I can see why fans don’t like to watch pro basketball. I don’t, either. It’s not exciting. — Larry Bird

The best basketball announcer is one who allows you to close your eyes. — Larry Bird

I’ve been around a while. I kinda know these things. — Larry Bird

My opinion about basketball, the way I was taught, was when you step on the court, you play to win. — Larry Bird